Rebirth 2004: A lone figure in the literary world

Chapter 125: China's youth literature is about to take on the shape of Zhang Chao

[Yesterday, Zhang Chao, a young writer from Yanjing City, signed an agreement with a publisher from Taiwan to authorize his novel and comic book "Your Name" at a sky-high royalty of 30%. This marks that the young people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait will further enhance their understanding...]

[…The launch of the “Youthful Youth Writing Project” will write a new chapter in the cultural exchange between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait and Hong Kong and Macau…]

"Click", Xiao Si pressed the remote control switch and the TV screen went black.

He turned to the editors around him and asked, "What do you think?"

Without waiting for others to speak, Xiao Si continued, "According to my plan, the "Best" series of magazines can wait until next year, when we have suitable works and suitable partners, and then we can start the promotion and distribution.

Now it seems that if we can’t get the magazine out this year, we may not even have soup to drink in the future.”

Editor A Ming said: "We may not be able to apply for the publication number in time..."

Xiao Si said, "Then we can use book numbers instead of publication numbers, one book number for each issue. Ask Chunfeng Publishing House if they can help us solve it. If they can't, we'll switch to another one!"

Then he asked, "How many authors of 'Youth' did you meet last time?"

The editor said: "We called, but they didn't seem to be willing..."

Xiao Si asked, "You're not willing to double your manuscript fee?"

Very nodded.

Xiao Si suddenly yelled excitedly, "Incompetent! You can't even do such a small thing! Give me their contact information - no, I want their address! I'll go and talk to them in person!"

The weather in Jilin in early June was not that hot. 6-year-old Shuang Xuetao had just finished organizing his defense materials and was preparing to go to the cafeteria for lunch with his classmates.

Like most children from working-class families in Northeast China, Shuang Xuetao studied hard and was admitted to the Law School of Jilin University. He will graduate this year.

He had already passed the interview of a bank in his hometown of Shenyang. As long as he successfully obtained his diploma, he would be able to work in the bank's legal department. This stable job within the system is the best reward for his parents' cultivation of him for more than 20 years.

Although he participated in the 7th New Concept Writing Competition on impulse this year and won the first prize in the adult category, this is just a small episode in his life. Writing is just a hobby for him, no different from his favorite football.

I can’t live without it, but I don’t expect to make a living from it, even though the royalties from “Youth” are not low - but after all, it’s “unstable”!
At this time, his cell phone rang. After picking it up and listening for a while, he showed a surprised look and said to the person on the other end of the phone: "Okay. I'll go over now."

Shuang Xuetao tidied up his appearance and came to the gate of Jilin University, where he saw a shiny Mercedes-Benz parked. The driver standing by the car opened the door immediately when he saw Shuang Xuetao coming.

Shuang Xuetao saw a shiny, yellow-haired figure walking straight out of the Mercedes-Benz, and he almost thought he was hallucinating. The man walked up to him, extended his hand to him enthusiastically, and said, "Hello, Xuetao, I'm Xiaosi, nice to meet you..."

Shuang Xuetao saw that the students around him were pointing fingers at him, so he hurriedly shook hands with Xiao Si and said, "If you have anything to say, just tell me. It won't have a good influence at the school gate."

Xiao Si said, "Let's talk in the car. I'll treat you to a meal."

Shuang Xuetao said: "This is not a reward without merit..."

But I couldn't resist Xiao Si's enthusiastic invitation and got into the Mercedes-Benz.

20 minutes later, the two were sitting in the western restaurant of the most luxurious hotel in JL City, with glittering silver tableware in front of them and elegant piano music in their ears.

Xiao Si said: "I didn't expect that we are the same age."

Shuang Xuetao touched his beard which he hadn't shaved for several days because he was busy preparing for the defense, and then looked at Xiao Si in front of him, whose makeup was more delicate than that of a girl, and suddenly felt that he was not worthy of this sentence.

Xiao Si continued: "Where are you going to go and what are you going to do after graduation?"

Shuang Xuetao answered honestly: "Back home, to the bank."

Xiao Si showed a regretful look and said, "I've read your article. It's very well written. Between the lines, I can smell the burning smell of Tiexi's coal and the huge roar of the factory machines..."

Shuang Xuetao was surprised and asked, "You actually like my novel?"

Xiao Si smiled proudly and said, "Do you think I can only write about the kind of 'painful youth'?"

Shuang Xuetao didn't say anything.

Xiao Si continued: "That's just a choice based on the readers' tastes. In fact, I can write novels of various styles. I imitated Wang Xiaobo in the Banyan Tree Forum, and no one noticed..." Shuang Xuetao said: "Amazing..."

Xiao Si asked, "Have you ever considered becoming a full-time writer?"

Shuang Xuetao said, "Well... if it's a full-time job, it's unstable, right? My parents and I still want more stability. Writing as a hobby is fine."

Xiao Si said: "All fears of 'instability' come from material scarcity. If you are willing to contribute to my novel magazine, I can give you a standard remuneration of 500 yuan per thousand words - as long as you agree to sign a contract with me and let me publish and manage all the manuscripts."

Shuang Xuetao shook his head and said, "Your colleague told me about it on the phone last time. I'm still a little worried. And, and..."

Xiao Si said, "And what? And you promised to give the manuscript to Youth, right? I have inquired about their payment standards, 200 yuan per thousand words, although it is already the average standard in the industry, but ours is more than double theirs.

Besides, Youth Magazine doesn’t accept submissions from authors over 22 years old, so you won’t be able to write for them next year. But you can write for me!
I will also package you specifically, from the outside to the inside, to make you a new person, a real literary star, a literary idol, instead of just a comic sticker like you are now, playing house."

Shuang Xuetao shuddered when he heard the rest, and said quickly: "I'm used to working behind the scenes, so forget it..."

Xiao Si said angrily: "Have you ever thought about what a 500 yuan per thousand words remuneration means? As long as you publish 1 words a month, you will have at least 5000 yuan in income, which is higher than the income of many white-collar workers in Shanghai.

How much can you earn in Shenyang, even if you work in a bank? 2000? 3000? That's a fixed salary.

As long as you keep providing me with manuscripts for one year, I will plan to publish a book for you, and then you will get hundreds of thousands of royalties. It will be enough for you to buy a house, a car, and those luxury goods, Dior, Armani..."

Shuang Xuetao listened quietly, neither interrupting nor agreeing.

Suddenly, his cell phone made a crisp "beep" sound, it was a text message. Shuang Xuetao picked up the phone and looked at it with a look of surprise and disbelief.

Soon, a phone call came in. Shuang Xuetao begged for mercy and went outside to answer the phone.

Shuang Xuetao was on the phone for nearly 20 minutes, and when he returned to the table, the steak was already cold.

As soon as he sat down, he said to Xiao Si: "I'm really sorry, what you said is very beautiful, but I can't do it."

Although the foundation was thick, Xiao Si's face was still visibly pale. He reluctantly asked, "Is it the call from just now? I saw it seemed to be a landline in Yanjing."

Shuang Xuetao hesitated for a moment, but still said honestly: "It was Zhang Chao who called me and asked me to go to Yanjing."

Xiao Si asked nervously, "You agreed?"

Shuang Xuetao said: "Not yet, I'm still considering it."

Xiao Si was a little angry. His personal invitation was not as important as a phone call from Zhang Chao. So he asked coldly, "What conditions did he offer you? 500 per thousand words? 700? I don't believe he can offer you 1000 per thousand words!"

Shuang Xuetao said calmly: "He asked me to work in his company as a legal affairs officer."

Xiao Si asked, "Are you willing? How much does legal service cost?"

Shuang Xuetao thought for a moment and said, "Just now, Youth Pie gave me a share of the sales of the first issue of the cartoon character. This money... money... is... quite... a lot. Moreover, he has a plan... Sorry, I can't tell you."

Xiao Si struggled to speak through his teeth and said, "Quite a lot...how much?"

Shuang Xuetao shook his head, indicating that it was inconvenient to say, and just said: "It's enough to make me and my parents feel at ease."

Xiao Si ultimately failed to convince Shuang Xuetao and returned to Shanghai dejectedly.

Not long after, the editor of the "Island" studio was very good and got the youngest Li Ruichao to tell him that "Li Ruichao's comic image is not very popular in "Youth", but he also received more than 5000 yuan in sales share last month... 20 times his royalties..."

The light in Xiao Si's eyes was almost extinguished.

Zhang Chao is actually willing to share the profits from peripheral products with his authors, and the proportion is quite high. Shouldn't the resources of a magazine be concentrated on one person, making him the only idol?

Xiao Si recalled a letter he received some time ago, from a reader named “Xiao Lan”, who asked him who among the authors of “Island” he favored the most, indulged the most, and tolerated the most - even if he favored him to the point of burning down his house and cutting up his Dior dress, he would forgive him... (I didn’t make this up)
Please, this is the correct way to open a youth literature magazine, to cultivate a group of high-quality readers who are both clear-headed and stupid, and who only care about their own "harem" and luxury goods all day long.

And Zhang Chao seems to be using his own way to gradually transform Chinese youth literature into what he wants it to be...

(End of this chapter)