Exciting 1979!

Chapter 76 Look at the Siheyuan, I'll just look
Wei Ming’s condition is not the royalties; that can be argued for after the work comes out.

Now he is fighting for the publication time.

“I hope to publish it within the year.”

"Oh, why?"

"This novel is based on my parents' story. They knew I was going to write it and couldn't wait to see it in the magazine."

The real reason is that the original author will start creating in March next year.

"Contemporary" only has the third issue in December this year. The works have been prepared and there is no shortage of content. Bai Shurong is undecided whether to add Wei Ming in.

"Then can I go back and discuss this with the editor-in-chief?"

"of course can."

After returning to the editorial office at No. 166 Chaonei Street, Bai Shurong did not directly raise the matter with the editor-in-chief Yan Wenjing. She wanted to wait until "Yanjing Literature and Art" was published tomorrow to see the quality of Wei Ming's novella before making a decision.

If it is really well written, she will fight for it for him, and she is confident that she can win it.

After all, "Contemporary" is a newly established magazine, and everyone hopes to increase its sales, and Wei Ming is now a top figure in the literary world.

I heard that the sales of Wenhui Daily, which first published "Duck Prophet", and Poetry Magazine, which reprinted "Ideal", have increased by at least 15%!

It’s just that this top stream is a bit empty and lacks supporting works.

~
The next day, Wei Ming and Biaozi set out early in the morning. Biaozi was very excited and said to Wei Ming: "If there are any more bad guys, just let me do it."

After leaving the school gate, they passed by a newsstand outside the school. Wei Ming went over to take a look. Great, the October issue of "Yenching Literature and Art" was ready, and it was a thick stack. He would buy it when he came back.

On the way, Wei Ming asked Biaozi: "How are you and Yanzi doing now? She hasn't come to see you since your head got better."

Biaozi chuckled: "While you were away, I asked her to watch a movie with me. It's the one you recommended, 'She and Him'. It tells the love story of a pair of male twins and a pair of female twins. It's very interesting. I don't know where the director found two pairs of twins. Yan Zi also said that the twins were played by the same person. Do you think she is a silly Yan Zi, hahaha."

Swallow: You are the stupid one, silly Biaozi!

"AUV!" Wei Ming exclaimed, "Okay, Biaozi, does that mean she agrees to be with you?"

"I didn't dare to mention it. After all, I lost last time."

"There's nothing wrong with the way you handle it." Wei Ming looked at Biaozi. He was indeed not that attractive to Yan Zi now.

He has neither a pretty boy nor a national champion, so all he has left is a good figure and great abilities. The former can be seen but the latter cannot be touched. He is nothing like Xiao Li, who won several championships in the National Games a while ago.

Therefore, forcing a confession can easily make the relationship awkward.

"But she agreed to let you come out to watch a movie, which is a good sign. Keep working hard."

"Well, I plan to accompany you to buy furniture, and then watch "Little Flower" with her in the afternoon. Brother Feng watched it two days ago and said it was very good."

"Okay, you do your thing, I'll just walk around the city."

Biaozi added: "But you have to come home with me for lunch at noon."

"what?"

"Ah what? My mother has wanted to invite you for a long time."

"Because of what?"

Biaozi said, "My mother made me one of the neck pillows you made. Later, she suggested that the street garment factory produce a batch of them. Unexpectedly, they sold very well and were even sent to the Friendship Store. My mother was promoted to a team leader because of this!"

So that's how it is. Wei Ming smiled and said, "Then I have to eat this meal."

About an hour and a half later, the two saw the Forbidden City and walked around it. Biaozi took Wei Ming to the Donghuamen Trust Store.

"Rolling the names outside Donghua Gate" was the lifelong pursuit of ancient scholars. This trust store is located on Donghuamen Street, which extends from Donghuamen of the Forbidden City, and is very close to the Forbidden City.

They could smell the scent of wood when standing outside the store. When they went in, they saw all kinds of tables, chairs, benches, boxes, beds, as well as safes and office cabinets. Most of them looked like modern second-hand goods.

Wei Ming asked Biaozi: "Why don't you have a camera?"

Biaozi said, "This trust store in Donghuamen specializes in furniture. If you want to buy a camera, you have to go to the stores that sell miscellaneous items, such as Dongsi, Tianqiao, Qianmen, and Caishikou."

Also, if you are buying or selling second-hand bicycles, go to the Beixinqiao store.

Wei Ming nodded, and then explained his need to buy a cabinet to the waiter.

Before coming here, he had thought about whether he could get a bargain and buy some ancient furniture or something, but when he came in and took a look, he found that there was basically nothing that was particularly antique.

For an amateur like him, the best he can do is look at those old objects that seem to have the words "I am an antique" slapped on them, and there is still a risk of making mistakes.

In fact, Ma Weidu is an expert in furniture and antiques. He may not be so good at other categories, but he is really good at furniture. But he is definitely not good at it now, because he doesn't know where he is working as a worker.

Wei Ming asked, "Will you give it to me if I find it?"

"It's OK if it's nearby, but there's shipping costs if it's far away."

"Peking University."

"It's too far, and the shipping fee is high. Two dollars, and I'll take care of it for you."

Wei Ming could accept it: "Let's look at the things first."

In fact, Wei Ming thinks it’s pretty good to have a safe, but putting a safe in the dormitory would hurt the relationship between brothers. It’s better to wait until he has his own home in the future.

Finally, Wei Ming decided on an office cabinet. Its advantages are that it takes up little space, has a large capacity, and can be partitioned. Its disadvantage is that it is really ugly.

Although second-hand goods are cheaper, the price is limited. Including the goods and shipping costs, Wei Ming spent a total of 17 yuan, which is almost as much as his last month's salary.

Coincidentally, they just received their salary yesterday, which was 18 yuan.

Later, Wei Ming found a Luban lock toy in a pile of wood. It had a base underneath, an exquisite and simple shape, and some beautiful patterns and engravings.

Well, this one is fine. Although it is just an item from the Republic of China, it is still decent as a gift.

After paying the money, Wei Ming watched a human-powered tricycle load the goods and take them away.

They did not follow, but had already greeted the brothers at the South Gate and asked them to pick them up.

"Does Lao She live nearby?" Wei Ming suddenly remembered.

"Yes, yes, yes, just turn left and then right in front." Biaozi said.

A child who grew up in the alley knows everything. Mei Wenhua even said that he saw Lao She jumping into the lake.

Wei Ming: "Let's go and take a look."

The place is in Fuqiang Hutong, Dengshi West Street. The door is closed and you can't see anything. After all, it is not the Lao She's former residence tourist attraction at the moment.

When I was chatting with Mr. Wu Zuxiang, I mentioned Lao She. Mr. Wu once said self-deprecatingly: Mr. Lao She had a sense of shame, so when a person suddenly fell out of favor, he jumped. I have no shame, so when he jumped, I was sweeping the toilet, and I had to sweep it the cleanest.

Wei Ming sighed, and reminded himself to maintain a good attitude and not be surprised by honor or disgrace, then followed Biaozi back to his home. His home was near Houhai and not far from Shichahai Sports School.

Biaozi first went to the garment factory to inform his mother, Aunt Qian, that there would be guests at noon, and asked her to go home early to cook.

Then the two of them wandered around in the alley, and it took a long time before they found his house. Wei Ming swore that he wouldn't be able to remember the way even if he tried a few more times.

This is a three-story courtyard housed in a dozen families with dozens of people. Their home is in the front yard.

When seeing the layout of this courtyard, Wei Ming thought of "A Courtyard Full of Love". The location of Biaozi's house is almost the same as that of his third uncle Yan Bugui's house.

Then he thought of his colleague Li Guangfu in the National Theatre of China in his previous life. This guy actually had a courtyard house passed down from his ancestors, and Wei Ming had been there.

Biaozi's house only has two rooms, but the advantage is that there are not many people there, just his parents and him, so it is quite spacious.

I sat at Biaozi's house for a while and saw a group photo of Biaozi and Yanzi. It was just a class photo of dozens of people. The two of them were one in the first row and the other in the last row.

His aunt hadn't come back yet, so Wei Ming asked her to take him out for a walk.

"Biaozi, is there a family around here who owns a yard?"

"I think so," Biaozi thought for a while, "Now we are gradually returning the previously occupied courtyards, but most of them are occupied by people, and we can't drive them away."

After Biaozi finished speaking, he was suddenly startled: "Brother Ming, you don't really want to buy a house, do you? Although you are much richer than us, a house is not cheap!"

Wei Ming looked around: "I'll just take a look."

He didn't even consider getting a separate house. He was too young and had little experience. He couldn't wait for another ten years.

Even if the market price of a Siheyuan is low right now, you can’t buy one for just a thousand or eight hundred yuan.

Of course, if he really had 18,000 yuan, Wei Ming would probably choose the Overseas Chinese Apartment. The courtyard houses of this era do not offer much of a living experience.

In their hometown, the toilet is at least in their own yard. They just build the wall higher and can pee in the yard.

But living in this old courtyard house, you have to run to the public toilet on the street to take a shit, and you have to empty the urine pot every day, and there is nothing you can do when the weather gets dark.

However, because of its large appreciation potential, irreplaceability and scarcity, it is a good idea to buy it for investment in the future, or to completely renovate it when conditions are ripe, and live in it.
But in the end it all comes down to money!

(End of this chapter)