Exciting 1979!

Chapter 37 Brave people enjoy the world first

Shanghai Chinese Medicine Factory No. 2.

Liang Lu, the head of the sales department, was worried at this time. The National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival were approaching, but there was no movement in the shopping malls and pharmacies in various channels.

It was not like this during the Spring Festival. In order to find me to get the goods, everyone called me "Sixth Brother" and was very friendly.

Thinking about the backlog of inventory in the medicinal wine workshop, Liang Lu decided to advertise in the media again.

This time he chose Wenhui Daily, a newspaper with a large circulation and national influence.

The Second Traditional Chinese Medicine Factory has a wide variety of products and is considered a major advertiser. Section Chief Liang is also a frequent visitor here.

After entering, he first saw several editors gathered together to read manuscripts. He greeted them and went to find Director Chen from the Advertising Business Department.

When Director Chen heard that Section Chief Liang was going to advertise the Shengui Yangrong Wine which was very popular at the beginning of the year, he suddenly thought of a manuscript circulated in the editorial department that morning.

"I read a novel and I feel that it is more effective than ten advertisements you run."

"Ah, what? Novel?" Section Chief Liang was a little confused.

Director Chen went straight out of the office and brought back a stack of manuscripts. Someone behind him shouted, "Director, hurry up! We haven't finished reading it yet."

"Here, this is it, 'The Duck Knows the River Water Warms in Spring', which is about the medicinal wine in your factory. It's quite interesting, and the angle is also very novel."

Director Chen is not responsible for reviewing manuscripts, but he also likes to read. This manuscript became popular in the editorial department today, so he took a look at it and found that there was indeed something interesting in it. Most importantly, it was in line with current policies and was a manuscript with great potential.

Section Chief Liang took the manuscript in a daze and was attracted from the first paragraph.

The words "Chinese Medicine Factory No. 2" and "Head of Sales Department" appeared at the end, which made Head Liang feel like, "This, this can't be written about me, right?"

However, the male protagonist’s surname is Wang, and he has no given name. He is just called Lao Wang, Section Chief Wang, and Duck Prophet. His wife sometimes also calls him “bastard”.

Liang Lu: It’s not that I am not me, it should be Director Wang Zhenxu.

As he read more, Section Chief Liang was deeply moved. He never expected that someone would turn the story of their factory's TV commercial into a novel, and it was written so well that it was even linked to the reform and opening up.

This is too high!

When we saw the last part, the brave little duck was the first to jump into the Huangpu River, where he happily swam and ate fish and shrimps. The male protagonist said, "The brave ones enjoy the world first."

At this moment, Liang Lu, as the most daring and enterprising young section chief of the Second Traditional Chinese Medicine Factory, was struck.

He said to Director Chen: "Great, it's very well written!"

Director Chen was about to agree when Section Chief Liang said, "There is really no need for additional advertising. This novel is enough!"

Director Chen: “…”

My mouth is redundant!

However, Section Chief Liang also asked Director Chen: "Can you arrange for this novel to be published as soon as possible?"

"Well..."

"Nanjing Road tonight, I'll make the arrangements."

Director Chen smiled and said, "I'll discuss this with the editor-in-chief."

"By the way, what is the name of this writer? Where is he from?" Liang Lu asked.

"It seems he came from Yanjing, but he left a phone number for the Writers Association Guesthouse."

~
After leaving the Wall of Lovers, Professor Qu and Sister Chen Rong asked a lot about Gong Xing's situation. Women gossip regardless of age.

Wei Ming told everything he should know, and didn't mention anything he shouldn't know.

Chen Rong: "No wonder she is so beautiful, it turns out she is really a movie star."

"It's not easy for a little girl to leave her hometown." Professor Qu, who is also from Shanghai and moved to Beijing, sighed.

They walked north along the Bund, and Wei Ming suddenly realized: "This place seems to be not far from Wenhui Daily." He had been here once yesterday when he submitted an article, and he remembered it. It was No. 149 Yuanmingyuan Road, also known as Hami Building or Sami Building. The front was the office building, and the back was the printing workshop.

Chen Rong encouraged: "Why don't you go and ask if it's passed?"

Professor Qu also said: "It is on Yuanmingyuan Road, I remember turning in front."

Wei Ming said in his own novel that brave people enjoy the world first. Although only one day has passed and people may not have seen the manuscript yet, it’s free to give it a try.

Maybe I will enjoy it first.

After going upstairs, Wei Ming found the editor from yesterday.

"What, it's already been drafted? And it's going to be published soon?"

Wei Ming signed his name without knowing what was going on and received the royalties from the finance department of Wenhui Daily.

When he came down from upstairs, he had 65 dollars in his hand!

It’s equivalent to more than three months’ salary for him!
Five dollars of it was for my four-frame illustration. Drawing illustrations and comic strips was still very profitable these days.

The grandfather of his high school classmate Liu Rulong was a famous comic book artist. He sold a page for ten yuan and was the richest single old man in their area.

60 yuan is the manuscript fee for the novel, which has words, which means four yuan per thousand words.

The manuscript fee of newspapers has always been lower than that of magazines. The advantage is that the money comes quickly, so this price is still relatively high. For an unknown newcomer, it is a recognition of the quality of the manuscript.

The two older sisters were also sincerely happy for Wei Ming. Professor Qu asked, "Haven't you always wanted to buy a watch?"

Sister Chen Rong laughed and said, "You are such a person. As soon as Xiao Wei has some money, you encourage him to spend it. It would be great if he could save it for marrying a wife in the future."

Professor Qu retorted: "He has two novellas to write next. What's wrong with enjoying it now? Besides, watches are also important for finding a wife."

Chen Rong thought about it and it made sense. The watch was one of the three rotations and one ring. If one wanted to marry a wife in Yanjing City, these were just the basic requirements. Some families already required one to buy a TV.

Sister Chen added: "But I don't think a watch is a necessity. It's better to buy a car first."

"Watches are also important, because time is priceless."

“But there is a car…”

Seeing the two sisters quarreling over how to spend their royalties, Wei Ming didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "Let's not talk about buying a car or a watch, what about the tickets? I don't have any~"

Although as long as you find the right channel, you can buy watch tickets with money, or even buy watches without tickets, but with the more than 60 yuan in Wei Ming's hand, there are not many options.

So the matter had to be put aside for the time being. Wei Ming thought about revising "The Story of Two Donkeys" as soon as possible and then be brave again to get an advance on his royalties from Editor Li.

This way I have more money and I don’t have to consider whether to buy a bicycle or a watch first. I want both!

The three of them strolled around for a whole day, and Professor Qu felt a little tired, so he went home.

Back at the guesthouse, the waitress said sweetly, "Writer Wei, there's a call for you. He's from Beijing, and his name is Wei Ping'an."

"Thank you, what time is it?" Wei Ming asked about the time and confirmed that Uncle Ping'an should not have gotten off work yet, so he called back.

Professor Qu whispered to Chen Rong behind him: "The watch is important, right~"

Chen Rong: “…”

On the phone, Wei Ming recounted the details of his experience in capturing the human traffickers and answered several questions from Uncle Ping An.

Wei Pingan laughed heartily: "Good boy, wait for your reward when you come back!"

Wei Ming was brave enough to ask, "Uncle, what are the prizes?"

"What do you want?"

Wei Ming: "Tickets, I want tickets!"

(ps: You all heard it, right? Tickets!)
(End of this chapter)