1987 My Era

Chapter 39: Becoming famous

The editorial office is a north-facing room.

There are not many desks inside, about a dozen or so, all placed by the windows and against the walls.

There are piles of manuscripts on every desk and on the floor as well. They are all wrapped in brown paper with the name of the submitter written on the outer cover.

Chen Xiaomi is a person who loves dressing up and keeping things clean, but she loves flowers and plants even more.

Look, there is a pot of spring orchid, which is very popular these days, on her desk.

Originally, she didn't have to come to work today, but as one of the least experienced people in the office, Chen Xiaomi also had her own persistence and ambition.

She didn't want her colleagues to label her as someone who got in through "connections with her parents". She wanted to use her own abilities and talents to achieve something and be proud of herself.

How can editors improve their performance?
Of course, it depends on discovering good writers and good works. The more manuscripts she publishes, the more recognition she will get from the literary society.

If she is lucky enough to discover a new writer who can make a sensation in the literary world, then her fame and status in the literary community and the industry will rise rapidly.

This is the quickest way for editors like them to get promoted, get a raise, and improve their reputation.

In the 80s, literature was popular, writers had a high status, and they could earn a lot of money by submitting a manuscript. The most prestigious literary magazine in the country, like theirs, received countless submissions from all over the country every day.

Very busy!
It’s a pity that although thousands of new writers emerge every day, the chance of her meeting or picking up a super talented one is almost like looking for a needle in a haystack. It is slim and cannot be sought after.

With some scattered thoughts in his mind, Chen Xiaomi had reviewed seven or eight manuscripts in a blink of an eye. The quality of these manuscripts was not bad, but not very good either. Among them, only one was barely acceptable.

Eliminate one more...

Chen Xiaomi held the teacup in her right hand and skillfully took a new manuscript from the pile with her left hand.

Glance at the name on the outer cover: "To Live", author December.

This glance was plain and she didn't see anything special.

This looks like another "mediocre" article. With this thought in her mind, she sipped her tea while reading quickly.

As she was reading, Chen Xiaomi was suddenly stunned and realized that the teacup had been sitting next to her mouth for a long time. She was so absorbed in the character in the book that she lost her mind.

As a review editor of People's Literature, Chen Xiaomi's professionalism and quality are unquestionable. Did he instantly understand what his current status represented?
What does it mean?
Thinking of this, she felt a sudden shock in her heart. She didn't even want to drink her tea. She quickly put down the cup, turned the page again and read the title of the novel "To Live" by Miaoyan. She immediately perked up and started reading it again.

Yes, re-watch it! Watch it from beginning to end!

I changed my previous hasty review attitude and read it carefully, word by word.

This is incredible!

She was soon attracted by the flamboyant writing and became addicted to it.

I don't know how long it lasted like this...

When she came to her senses again, she found that the manuscript had reached the end and there was no more.

Chen Xiaomi used her fingertips to lift up the frame of her glasses, her gaze still fixed on the last line of the last page. She stared at it blankly like a wooden sculpture, unwilling to leave, and unable to speak for a long time.

"Hey, Xiaomi, what are you daydreaming about? My pen fell to the ground and broke. Can you lend me a pen?"

Sister Liao, who was working at the next desk, saw that she didn't move and didn't respond when she called out to her, so she simply waved her hand in front of her again and again.

Chen Xiaomi's eyelids twitched, and she gradually reacted and subconsciously checked the source of the manuscript.

Submission address: No. 1 Middle School, Shao City, Hunan Province.

Huh?
He is from Shaoyang, my fellow villager?

Chen Xiaomi thought she was dazzled, so she closed her eyes and opened them again, only to find that the address had not changed. It was still Shao No. 1 Middle School.

What a coincidence!

that's nice!

When Chen Xiaomi found out that the author was from the same hometown as her, she felt an indescribable feeling in her heart, one of joy, sweetness, honor and intimacy.

Because this is what she thought at the first time: she is from Shao City, and the author is also from Shao City. As the saying goes, when fellow villagers meet, their eyes are filled with tears. Just based on this point, the two of them have a natural closeness.

In addition, he is the editor of a big-name literary magazine and December is a new author. The two complement each other and have no conflict of interest. They are the best golden partners and may be able to cooperate for a long time in the future.

The reason why she judged that the other party was a new writer was that she had been following the literary world for nearly ten years and had never heard of the writer named "December".

Logically speaking, if the other person is an old man, he cannot be an unknown person with such profound literary attainments!
It is impossible to be buried!

As I thought about it, my already excited mood became even more uncontrollable.

Hello, newcomer! Hello, newcomer!

If December is a new writer, he has a greater advantage and can better grasp the other party. With this thought in mind, Chen Xiaomi couldn't help herself. She felt that the road ahead was suddenly clear and the opportunity she had been waiting for was right in front of her.

It really fits the saying: Everyone has their time of storms and heavy rains, but when the clouds clear, the moon will appear.

My eyes unconsciously fell on the information of the contributing writer again.

First Middle School…

This is where Zijin once studied.

Is the other person a teacher?
It should be a teacher, possibly a Chinese teacher who has been immersed in writing for many years.

Seeing Chen Xiaomi's smile and eyes full of brilliance, Sister Liao, who was borrowing a pen, was no longer in a hurry to borrow a pen. She couldn't help but lean over and ask:

"Xiaomi, I've known you for almost two years, and I've never seen you so energetic. Did you come across a divine manuscript?"

Sister Liao’s words are not groundless.

She had heard of the Chen family's background. Chen Xiaomi was also a top student who graduated from Renmin University. An ordinary manuscript would not be able to make Xiaomi so carried away.

Fearing that she had a biased aesthetic, Chen Xiaomi generously handed "To Live" to Sister Liao:

"Sister Liao, please help me take a look."

This office is responsible for the preliminary review. If a good manuscript is found, it has to be handed over to Zhou Mingwei, deputy director of the editor-in-chief and editor-in-chief, for the final review before it can be passed.

So in order to prevent any mistakes, people sometimes ask colleagues they have a good relationship with to review it before sending it for review.

Generally, people who go through this process either cannot grasp it themselves or the manuscript is so good that they ask others to help control it.

Today, Chen Xiaomi was obviously so excited because her manuscript was too good, so good that it was explosive, so good that she couldn't control herself.

She wasn't worried that the other party would snatch the manuscript. With so many people watching, who would dare to do such a thing openly?
Secondly, the Chen family is not a pushover, and Sister Liao can’t make any waves in front of the Chen family.

"Okay, a manuscript that can make you so excited must be extraordinary. Let me read it." Sister Liao took the manuscript and began to read it.

Forty thousand words is not a lot, but it is not a small amount either. It took Sister Liao more than 20 minutes to finish reading it.

Chen Xiaomi immediately asked, "Sister Liao, how is it?"

Sister Liao calmed down and said with envy after a while: "Great! It's so well written! No wonder you are so moved. I would be even more unbearable if it were me.

Xiaomi, this is an opportunity, you must seize it.”

Hearing Sister Liao's praise, Uncle Dai, who was taking a short rest due to his tired eyes, could no longer hold back and stood up and stretched out his hand: "Come, let me see, is it really that good?"

Chen Xiaomi smiled and handed the manuscript to the other party personally: "Here, please take a look at it."

Uncle Dai is a senior member of the editorial department. I heard that his superiors were planning to make him the director, but due to his poor health and old age, he selflessly gave up the opportunity to someone younger.

Chen Xiaomi was more than happy to have such a senior and experienced person with a say in the matter. While waiting slowly on the side, she also secretly observed the expression on the other person's face.

Uncle Dai was a man who had experienced hardships, and the short few lines at the beginning of "To Live" attracted him.

As he read, his expression changed, as if the article brought back many memories.

At this point, Chen Xiaomi felt relieved and confident.

Uncle Dai was so engrossed in the film that he watched it slowly, and it took him almost 40 minutes to finish it.

Sister Liao asked hurriedly: "How is the manuscript?"

Uncle Dai took off his reading glasses and said with great emotion: "Xiao Chen has found a treasure. The last time I felt this way was Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea. It's incredible, incredible..."

In this office, Uncle Dai is almost an authority, and his comments are often more effective and more popular than those of the editor-in-chief.

If he says "To Live" is good, then it really is good, without any falsehood in it.

After hearing Uncle Dai's high evaluation and hearing that it could be compared to The Old Man and the Sea, the other people in the office suddenly became excited. Their curiosity was completely aroused and they all spoke up:

"Xiaomi, let me see."

"I want to see."

“I want to see it too…”

ps: Please vote for me! Please read this! Please help me, big guys.

ps: The pen name was changed to "December", auspicious.

(End of this chapter)