Chapter 14 "Front Head Jade Photo" and others

I don't know that it is not very good to print a book and put a photo in it, unless the author is like Tolstoy with a big white beard.But there are photos in my novel collection, and there are still photos in my essay collection, and the reason is conceivable.Some readers who are familiar with me on paper are probably willing to see what I am like. Even if all the articles in the booklet have been read in magazines, they may still buy one back, so my book can sell two more copies.If I make a little money, I can take a few months of complete rest, write less, and be better; so I think it is right to take care of myself.

But I found that printing photos is not so simple.The first time I showed it to me, it was very difficult for me to choose the right words. After thinking for a while, I said: "Mr. It is clearer than the original, then it must have been described. I took care of it, don’t need to describe it, why do I need to describe it? If I want to describe it, why don’t I draw it in the photo studio, but wait for the workers to describe it?” Mr. Zhu said: “When did you describe it? Is it right?" I compared the photos and proofs to him carefully, and he said, "The drawing must always be a little bit—it has always been like this, otherwise it would be a mess." I said, "Rather than this, I would rather it be muddled." He said: "That's because they misunderstood what you meant. They always thought you wanted it to be clear. You like to be confused, that's easy!"

"Also, Mr. Zhu," I smiled apologetically, pretending to be joking, "this face looks like a wooden figure in a shop window. I think I need some shadows. The face should be darker, and the eyebrows and eyes should be much lighter. , you see my eyebrows are very light, how can there be such a clear black and white?" He said: "No - cloth pattern photos are very annoying, there is a kind of shadow that can't be printed." The second time he came to show off, Tapir Dai happened to be there too. (Her surname was Mo, and the word "Tapir" was newly changed. "Tapir" is a kind of beast in Japanese legends that eats dreams for a living.) I watched it very much. Disappointed, I said: "Like a dummy, it gives people a very bad impression. It's better not to." But the plate-making fee is paid in advance, and I always want to try again.I said, "It's much better than the last time. You can tell when you compare it. It's much better...but the two sides of the face are uneven. Also, Mr. Zhu, there is a part of the lower lip missing here for some reason?" Mr. Zhu looked carefully Cleaner rubbed it with his index finger, and said: "No - there was some splash here, they wiped it with white powder, and it disappeared." "Then, ask them to put some white powder on the eyebrows and eyes, too. It’s a bit fuzzy, because...it’s still too thick!” He laughed and said, “No, the white powder will be blown off in one blow.” I said, “Then, let’s print it again, Mr. Zhu, I’m so sorry, about You have never met a customer with lumps like me. The last time my photo was printed badly, I thought I would never want it this time, because I heard that you are better than others-otherwise I would not print Now!" Mr. Zhu raised his eyebrows and said, "Originally we were extremely serious, but now there is no other way, all kinds of materials are out of stock, and labor alone is not enough." I said, "I know, I know, but I believe you will never It will not be printed well, as long as Mr. Zhu whispers a few more words to them." Mr. Zhu hesitated and said: "In the past, it didn't matter if you made two more templates. It's a matter of one or two yuan, and now the loss is big. , but...we always try to satisfy you." I said, "I'm really sorry." I can only make a friend next time, and I may have to print a book in the future.But no matter what the photo is not printed.

After Mr. Zhu left, I suddenly felt the need to complain, so I wanted to write this article, but today I went to the printing office and saw scattered blue photos hanging on the wooden rack one by one, although there were new ones that were wrong. After all, the place is better and more popular; looking at the large rolls of paper on the racks of machines, my articles are printed in blocks, and I can't help but feel warm and intimate, as if I can live here. During the Battle of Hong Kong, there were no quilts, newspapers were covered at night, and large illustrated magazines were placed on top of them; but the American "Life" magazine was cold and slippery to the touch, and it always looked like someone else's book.

Today, in the big gray room of the printing house, standing on the uneven concrete floor with small wooden bridges, I heard the printing workers say: "Wow! They are printing your books, and they are rushing for you." I laughed and said : "Really? I'm so happy!" I suddenly felt that they were all my own family, and it was only right for me to cause a lot of trouble for them out of thin air.The electricity was out, and we had to use pedals. A staff member said, "Do you know how many pedals it takes to print such a picture?" I said, "How much?" He said, "Twelve times." Not surprised, but still said: "Really?" The larger photo in "Rumor" was taken this summer.Tapir was directing next to her, and said, "Now I want a Victorian-era vibe, with the hair picked up in the middle and draped loosely, revealing the shoulders, but it's still very old-fashioned. Don't smile, but smile in your eyes." She discussed with the photographer again: "Too many bones?" I said, "It doesn't matter, at least it's mine." The result was very different from what she planned, because she didn't wink, and her eyes were a bit conceited. Looking angry.On a very hot afternoon, Kaudai rode her bicycle to a photo studio far away and took enlarged photos to my home, saying: "Kiss me, hurry up! Don't thank me yet! ... Well, now you can spend all day Ye kissed yourself.—I have never seen such a selfish person as Aileen!"

That night during the air defense, I stood on the balcony and heard the beating of gongs, which came all the way from a distance, and then went far away.On the roof terrace, the air defense personnel shouted to their colleagues on the street seven floors down, and the message passed down from below. I recognized the throats of apprentices from a small department store nearby. They were all half-grown children. He is always very happy when he has the opportunity to give orders, and he is business-like, with a bleak and moving sincerity on his face, very much like an official—a modern official.Air Defense is cute anyway at this point, giving Apprentices their legitimate extracurricular activities.I think of the Europeans in the Middle Ages, who used to hunt witches in swarms, capture suspicious old women, and set her on fire before she could ride a broom to the sky.Later, I didn't really believe in these things, and I still liked to catch them, because this was the only winter sport among the people. People in a village held torches, making noise in the snow, and they were very happy. ... After the young air defense officers on the roof called out to send a message, they heard them spitting and talking again. They climbed up to enjoy the shade, and their voices gradually became silent, and they must have left.The low-lying metropolises all around looked like an ambush on an ancient battlefield.I stood on the balcony and looked at the photo in the dark blue moonlight. The smile in the photo seemed to show contempt—because I was so interested, it seemed that there was only interest but no emotion. The unspeakable love of this world.

A photographer took several photos of me, among which he was most satisfied, because the light was soft, the hazy face, the heavy velvet folds, had the feeling of a classical portrait.I personally like the rest more.Kadai also said that this one looks like a girl in a monastery, tame but brainless, and only twelve years old.When I zoom in, I feel even more that modesty is emptiness, and it is exhausting to look at it for a long time.Tapir Dai said: "Let me paint some color on it, although the photographer will be angry if he knows it, and he doesn't care about it." She dipped a large brush in the positive yellow to paint the background, because the photo does not absorb ink, the result Draped down like a heavy golden sand.The hair and clothes are all painted with dark blue, leaving only one face, which is still the essence of the photo, looking from the side, the face is luminous, floating on the paper.In the 19th century, there was a PreRaphaelite painting school, dating back to the religious paintings before Raphael. The style is realistic, but the people in the paintings always have a strange feeling of floating up despite their long skirts.How this illusion was created is their unique secret.Although this first-class painting is not highly regarded, it still has its narrow taste.Kaudai embedded the photo in a recessed niche on the wall, with a piece of yellow silk draped in the lower corner, with bamboo green in the yellow.The two wall lamps on both sides, because of air defense, have dense black stripes on the pistil-shaped glass cover; when the lights are turned on, it is like a funeral, and there is a portrait in the middle, which makes me immediately want to climb down and kowtow.Tapir Dai also thought it was not possible, and removed the yellow silk, and found out my ivory fractured fan, which lost its hair at one time. On the lake-colored feathers, two twigs of pink flowers appeared, and a few green leaves.I think it was like this in ancient mornings, the red apricot branches covered the dawn moon, the lake green sky, the pale half moon, the pink flowers, the small round petals were all distinct.Hang the fan upside down on the top of the photo, the gentle lake-colored wings, the ancient oriental morning shade.It is very safe now.

I bought two strings of bright blue beads from a candy barrette stand, but they were very fragile, thin glass shells, very thick, with big holes in the ends.Two bunches twisted together, like grapes, placed in front of a picture with downcast eyes in thought, reflected in the glass frame, a ball of blue beads faintly shining in the hair.It's nice to have such a beautiful thought.Often there is nothing in my mind, just praying like this.