Rebirth 2004: A lone figure in the literary world

Chapter 78 Look, this is Zhang Chao’s former residence!
Zhang Chao stayed in his "new home" for only one day before he flew back to Fuhai. It was not because he wanted to return home in glory, but because the Fuhai Writers Association cordially invited him to come back to attend a symposium for young writers and to speak as a keynote speaker.

If this invitation came via email or phone, he would have just turned it down. But this time, the Fuhai Writers Association was cunning and asked Lai Miaokuan, a fellow villager who was also attending the advanced research class and the deputy editor-in-chief of the magazine "Southeast Wind", to personally convey the invitation. This made Zhang Chao unable to refuse. Since he couldn't refuse, he had to obey.

After the plane flew through the clouds for more than two hours, Zhang Chao saw Kuo... (crossed out) his hometown after being away for more than a month.

After getting off the plane, Zhang Chao took a taxi and went straight to the hotel that Fuhai Writers Association had booked for him. The event lasted two days and the schedule was quite tight, so he would not return to Changfu for the time being.

When the chairman of the Fuhai Writers Association saw Zhang Chao again, he had mixed feelings. He had previously asked Sun Zhenhai to persuade Zhang Chao to join the Writers Association, but not only did it fail, but it also dealt a heavy blow to Sun Zhenhai's spirit, and he has been depressed ever since.

Even if I ask now, I'm afraid Zhang Chao won't agree. If he wants to join the Writers Association, he will most likely join the Yanjing side. Seeing that the cooked duck has flown away, I, as the chairman, have indeed failed in my duties.

Zhang Chao didn't think it was that complicated. He just didn't want to be constrained by a title. For him, the identity of a student was the most free and easy.

It was called a symposium for young writers, but except for Zhang Chao, most of the people present were between 30 and 40 years old. Just like in the advanced research class, he always seemed out of place.

The only person who left an impression on Zhang Chao was Xu Ping, a female writer from Xia Island, whose pen name was Xu Yi Gua. This was because of the movie adapted from her novel and the variety show about reading on the island.

The rest is unremarkable. The creation of a writer depends on the individual. No matter how many openings he has or how beautiful the slogans are, he still can't write what he wants.

As soon as the two-day meeting was over, he hurriedly took a taxi back to Changfu with his bag on his back.

The taxi stopped at the small intersection of Dengyun Road, and Zhang Chao walked along the familiar road straight to his home. Zhuangyuanfang, Jinshidi, old well, ancient academy...

Closer, closer, the familiar black tile and white wall are closer;
Closer, closer, the sound of Daddy’s cough is getting closer;

Closer, closer, the aroma of mother’s cooking is closer;

Closer, closer, the red and green tour group is getting closer...

Huh? What the hell? A tour group?

Zhang Chao only saw a group of young girls and boys about 17 or 18 years old gathered at the gate of his house, wearing the same red hats and holding a small green flag in their hands.

The Ming and Qing Dynasty ancient buildings on Dengyun Road are considered a small attraction, so it is not surprising that there are occasional tour groups here. But my house is a rammed earth wall house built in the 80s, what is there to see?

At this time, there was an older guy in a red vest in the crowd, gesticulating and introducing enthusiastically:

"Look at this wall, this door, the color, the door cover, the flowers and grass beside the wall. Aren't they exactly the same as in Your Name?"

"Wow! Look!"

"Really! They are exactly the same!"

"This is the former residence of Zhang Chao, the author of Your Name, our Fuhai idol writer! It is also the prototype of Xi's home in the story of Your Name. Now everyone hold the books in your hands and take a photo together!"

The young girls and boys took out their copies of "Youth Literature" and... "Yenching Cartoons" - the covers of which happened to be color illustrations for "Your Name" - and put them on their chests, then posed in front of their doors and took photos.

"What the hell? Former residence? When did I die? Why didn't anyone inform me?" Zhang Chao's thoughts were now in complete confusion.

At this time, my cell phone rang. I took it out and saw it was my dad. I quickly picked it up and asked, "Hello? Dad, what's going on at the door of our house..."

"Why are you home so early?"

"I didn't eat the meal at the symposium. I took a taxi back directly." "Don't go back. If they see you, you won't be able to escape. Come to your uncle's house quickly!"

After hanging up the phone, Zhang Chao hurriedly took advantage of his familiarity with the terrain and went through alleys and small roads to his uncle's house on the other side of Dengyun Road.

His parents had been waiting at the door for a long time, and as soon as they saw Zhang Chao, they pulled him into the house.

After putting down his bag, Zhang Chao was still in a daze and asked, "What on earth is going on?"

Zhang Chao's father sighed and replied, "It's all because of your novel Your Name!"

"?"

Then Zhang Chao's father explained for a long time before he understood what was going on.

Lu Jinbo had told him that "Youth Literature is selling like crazy" was not a rhetorical device, but a description of the facts. If Huacheng became popular because of Young Babylon, it was just a "beautiful misunderstanding" - then Your Name was a precise sniper shot to the soul of teenagers aged 16 or 17 to early 20s in this era.

This novel hit the spot for them in terms of imagination, language, emotion, characters... including the satisfying ending that left them wanting more. And the intensity of the scratching was just right.

During this period, youth romance novels were either about the bitterness of unrequited love, the astringent feeling of "bright sadness", or the cloying sweetness. However, "Your Name" used a grand fantasy adventure for a teenager to provide a bright footnote to "what is perfect youth and love".

The speed at which "Youth Literature" is out of stock during this period is even more terrifying than that of "Huacheng" three months ago.

On July 7, Yanjing Cartoons began serializing the comic version of Your Name with a cover recommendation, which ran for 20 pages in one go. Xia Da's beautiful and handsome painting style complemented Your Name and also triggered a hot sale.

Before Your Name, Yanjing Cartoon, as a comic magazine with a strong regional focus, rarely made it across the Yangtze River. But three days after the July issue was published, it received a large number of calls for additional subscriptions from the south.

Zhang Chao was basically kept in the dark about this information. During this period, he was either in class or writing. In order to improve efficiency, he not only declined all interviews, but also deliberately did not read or search for information about himself to avoid affecting his mood.

"The novel sold well before, so why isn't this the case?"

"I don't know which travel agency was so rude that they noticed that many scenes in your novel were set in our home and nearby houses, so they started to promote it and included a visit to our home as one of the items in their Changfu tourism products.

It's summer vacation now, you don't know how many students come to see you. Many of them even knock on your door to ask if you are home. Your mother and I have to come to your uncle's place from time to time to avoid you recently."

Zhang Chao was overwhelmed by what he heard.

At this time, my mother came over, holding a plate of freshly cut watermelon, and said, "I think, the better you write novels, the more lively our family will be. You can't run away!" Her expression was both sad and proud.

Zhang Chao could only eat two bites of watermelon to relieve his upset.

Mother said, "Don't worry, it will be fine after the summer vacation."

My father said, "You wait..." Then he went to the inner room and came out with a big cardboard box in his arms after a while.

"This is?"

"It was the children of my colleagues who bought your books and magazines and asked me to have them signed. Not many, only about 200, and there's a box in the back."

"..."

(End of this chapter)