Chapter 8 chapter eight

December 8, Beijing. The weather is very cold, snowflakes are fluttering, the sky is hazy, and the earth is like a soft blanket. The whole city is as luxurious and beautiful as a heavenly girl under the white snow. In the medium-sized conference hall of Beijing Meiyuange Hotel, the "Xia Yingjie Works Seminar" jointly sponsored by China Resources Publishing Company, Wanbao Film and Television Production Company and Tieying Group Company is being held symbolically.The so-called "symbolic" means that this is not a purely academic seminar, but a necessary procedure for publishing news, which is entirely out of commercial needs to create a boiling point, expand publicity, and stimulate circulation.The meeting consists of three parts:

1. Discuss the gains and losses of the creation of "The Silent Man" from an ideological and artistic point of view, and explore new perspectives, new methods, and new concepts of literary creation during the special period of China's system transformation. 2. Discuss the issues that should be paid attention to in the re-creation process of adapting the original work into a 40-episode TV series. 3. Hold a tripartite cooperation signing ceremony, clarify responsibilities, rights, and interests, and release news that the strongest cast will be organized. Some cast and crew will also go to Budapest, Vienna, and Rome for on-site shooting. The investment budget is 2 million US dollars.

Of course, Tieying Group's behavior must conform to Tieying Group's specifications, and it must also meet Gao Tianhai's specifications.For the sake of his own safety, he must do everything he can and become the real winner of the corporate image and economic benefits. Otherwise, the silence after buying out the manuscript with a lot of money will definitely arouse suspicion from all aspects of society.Gao Tianhai didn't attend the meeting today, and he hasn't contacted Xia Yingjie since the manuscript was traded in Xiamen. He needs to maintain a posture that focuses on works, not people.

The loud noise is Gao Tianhai's strategy.It was Song Yikun's idea to move a thousand catties in four ounces.The experts and scholars present didn't know about these inside stories, let alone Xia Yingjie. Xia Yingjie sat dignifiedly next to the responsible editor, quietly listening to the speeches of the participants, his mind went blank.She didn't want to participate in this meeting, first of all because she felt that she didn't live up to her name.She used to be a reporter herself, and she is very clear: when the news media praise you, they never leave you with a ladder. They are afraid that the stick will not be high, and that the fall will not be fast. How it ends up is your own business.In addition, seminars of various titles have become commonplace and indiscriminate nowadays. As long as you have money, you can hold seminars of all kinds, and you will never worry about not having critics to support you, because the same speeches must be followed by the same food and drinks and very affordable prices. souvenirs.At this time, the seminar has deteriorated, completely losing its seriousness and sense of sanctity.

But Xia Yingjie couldn't help himself.In a commodity society, driven by economic interests, both authors and works will become tools in the hands of merchants. The seminar was originally scheduled to run from nine to eleven o'clock.After ten o'clock, some people have already started to look at their watches, hoping to go home early with souvenirs after drinking and eating.Seeing that Xia Yingjie had been silent, the meeting chair stood up and said, "As far as I know, Ms. Xia has never given any interviews, nor expressed any opinions. Today, we would like to take this opportunity to ask Ms. Xia to talk about her feelings. Journalists here can also take this opportunity to ask some questions, because today is a symposium."

Xia Yingjie stood up, looked around the thirty or so people present, and said sincerely: "Most of the people here are my seniors, and some are my teachers. From this point of view, I have no right to speak. I think that what I have got has exceeded my value, which makes me feel flattered. I put These understandings are the encouragement and cultivation that the society has given me. Here, I thank all those who have helped me and are helping me, thank you. This is what I want to say today.” This passage was in line with the taste of everyone present, so there was a round of applause in the conference hall.

A reporter asked, "Why do you keep refusing interviews?" Xia Yingjie replied: "Three years of working as a professional reporter gave me the opportunity to know what the sky is high and the earth is thick. I have to keep a ladder ready to step down at any time, instead of falling down." Many people laughed. Another asked: "Why don't you ever talk about your work? That doesn't seem quite conventional." Xia Yingjie said: "Before the release of the work, the publishing company planned a large-scale publicity campaign. After the release, newspapers and periodicals from all over the country also published a lot of comments. Others analyzed for me, including issues that I had never considered in the work. Nothing more to say."

One woman asked: "What do you personally think of some review articles accusing your work of being a high-IQ crime textbook?" Xia Yingjie smiled and said: "Everyone here has discussed this issue from the aspects of knowledge level and social depth, but I personally still dare not comment on this point of view. I just want to say that if The work is really a crime textbook, so neither the Press and Publication Administration nor the national judiciary will allow us to have this opportunity to discuss." The seminar ended successfully in the applause after the signing ceremony of the tripartite representatives and under the lights of the camera.

When everyone was walking towards the restaurant, Xia Yingjie left Meiyuan Pavilion Restaurant according to his plan.A person in charge of the publishing company followed her out and repeatedly asked her to keep her for dinner. Xia Yingjie had no choice but to explain again: "I'm sorry, I really don't have time. I have to participate in the book signing in the afternoon and leave Beijing in the evening. Before I leave, I have to visit a teacher. I only have some time now." The person in charge asked, "Then leave an address, and I'll send a car to pick you up."

"Don't bother." Xia Yingjie said, "I guarantee that I will arrive at the bookstore before two o'clock in the afternoon, and there will be no delay." The person in charge was still worried, and reminded: "The news was sent out a few days ago, you must not make any mistakes." "Don't worry." Xia Yingjie assured again. The person in charge let her go. Xia Yingjie held her coat in her left hand and a travel bag in her right. As soon as she stepped out of the gate, the doorman helped her into an "Audi" car.Xia Yingjie showed the driver Wang Wenqi's address, and the car drove away from the hotel.

Wang Wenqi's family lives in a residential area near the Agricultural Exhibition Hall. The high-rise buildings here all look the same and can only be identified by their serial numbers.The driver sent Xia Yingjie to a building according to the address. Xia Yingjie paid the fare and went up to the third floor from the entrance of a unit. Wang Wenqi's family was eating lunch. Xia Yingjie gave Wang Wenqi four boxes of high-grade ginseng and two catties of tea worth more than 3,000 yuan to express his gratitude to the teacher. After some pushback, Wang Wenqi happily accepted the gift. Xia Yingjie looked at a table of home-cooked meals in the living room, and said with a smile: "Mr. Wang, do you mind if I eat with you?" "Where are you talking?" Wang Wenqi said happily, "You don't eat the banquet at the seminar, and you come here to have a potluck. It's my face. Eat first, and talk later when you have something to say." Xia Yingjie sat down and ate with Wang Wenqi's family in a graceful manner, without any sense of restraint.After the meal, Wang Wenqi's wife and daughter cleared the table, served tea and went out. Wang Wenqi smiled politely and said: "When I read the manuscript, I only knew that the author was a woman, but I didn't expect to be so young. It's not simple." Geng Yingjie said: "I came here today to visit the teacher, and I hope to continue to receive your guidance. You are an authority. In your opinion, is my current situation normal?" Wang Wenqi was taken aback. He didn't expect Xia Yingjie to ask such a question, because people are often arrogant when they are proud of themselves.He didn't answer right away, but asked rhetorically: "How do you feel? Many people have written for a lifetime, but they have never written such a popular scene." "I don't feel at ease." Xia Yingjie couldn't bring Song Yikun into it, so he could only say in another way, "If this book is considered a success, apart from its own characteristics, it largely depends on the business. The chance of the need, there is an element of gambling and an element of luck. I think we can't take the current situation too seriously, and we still have to put our feet on the ground." Wang Wenqi nodded involuntarily, thinking that it is really not easy to keep a clear mind under such circumstances.Since the author himself has a clear understanding of the problem, he didn't need to be polite, so he said: "Your work is indeed unique, but its value is high, the response is great, and it does have commercial factors. You It is rare to be able to realize this point. Experts know that it is not a good thing for a person to become famous prematurely without sufficient artistic skills and psychological preparation. Many extremely talented people are often short-lived. It’s not about falling into this misunderstanding.” "However," Wang Wenqi changed the subject, and continued, "After all, the current situation is very beneficial to you, which is a rare opportunity for any author. I think that keeping a clear mind in the works is to maintain and strengthen Focus on the quality of your works, settle down and strive to release two or three important works in the next few years, seize the opportunity to form a climate, and strive for a relatively stable readership. This readership will be the basis for your future survival." Xia Yingjie said: "I have a better understanding of women, and I have some views on the issue of equality between men and women. Based on this consideration, I want to write a novel about women, and I have made some preparations. I would like to ask you, writing this subject should focus on What? What issues should be paid attention to?" Wang Wenqi said: "I noticed that your works have clear social themes and political tendencies. So, I would like to know your basic views on gender equality." Xia Yingjie said: "I don't think there is any practical significance in discussing the issue of equality in the abstract. First of all, the issue of equality cannot avoid the biological characteristics of men and women; secondly, it cannot ignore the development level of productive forces; The specific content of equality between men and women in religions is also different. In addition, some equality issues belong to the legal category, and some belong to the moral category, which cannot be treated as the same. Simply put, it is impossible to have true equality without acknowledging differences. The direct consequence of absolute equality is the destruction of women." "This topic is said to be small, but it is actually too big, and it is not easy to write it well." Wang Wenqi thought for a while, and then said: "There are a lot of works written on this subject, but the number of high-grade ones is very small. They are either fake and empty, or they are mediocre, and they are confined to the small feeling of moaning about illness and pettiness. This is a problem that should be paid attention to. As for what to focus on, I think you The biggest feature of your works is the generous, fast-paced and strong confrontation of the story, as well as the high artistic taste and strong readability, you should carry forward these advantages, form your hardcore style, and be unique among female writers." "I am so lucky to have your advice." Xia Yingjie said, "I will try my best to write it, and I hope you can read it after I finish it." "No problem." Wang Wenqi said, "I can't talk about advice, but it's okay to give some reference opinions." Xia Yingjie looked at his watch, stood up and said goodbye, "I'm really sorry to disturb your lunch break. I have to arrive at the China Resources Bookstore at two o'clock, so I have to go." Wang Wenqi sent Xia Yingjie out, and when he parted, he said, "When you get back, send my regards to Mr. Song." "Thank you." Xia Yingjie said goodbye with a smile. China Resources Bookstore is a subsidiary of China Resources Publishing Company. It is located in the prosperous area of ​​Haidian District, Beijing. The news that four authors signed books here at the same time was released a few days ago, so there are many book buyers here, most of them are young readers. Xia Yingjie arrived at the bookstore almost on time, but he still seemed a little late, because the book signing had already started, and the four authors each occupied a special counter.Xia Yingjie is the only woman among the authors and the youngest, but her business is booming.At the beginning, she occasionally communicated with readers, but then she couldn’t care about anything else. She just signed one book after another and kept signing. Her right hand went from soreness to pain, from pain to numbness, and she couldn’t even believe it. own font.The manager of the bookstore was happy, and with a smile on his face, he directed the staff to move the books to maintain order in the store. The book signing activity lasted until 6:00 pm. Xia Yingjie signed nearly 2,000 books, with a turnover of more than 20,000 yuan.It was already dark when we left the bookstore. According to the arrangement of the publishing company, everyone will have dinner together in the evening. Xia Yingjie once again declined the invitation of the person in charge, and only asked the company's car to take her to the scheduled location - the gate of Beijing Normal University.In her schedule, there was someone she had to meet before leaving Beijing, so she called ahead to make an appointment in the morning.She is still four hours away from getting on the train, and she is not rich in time. Light snow was still falling, and the howling north wind blew the snowflakes up and down in the air. The bare branches swayed stiffly in the cold wind, and the road was full of cars and people, and the lights were brightly lit. Xia Yingjie was wearing a coat and standing on the snow by the side of the road, looking at his watch from time to time. At seven o'clock, a white luxury crown came and stopped beside Xia Yingjie. A young man got out of the car and shouted: "Miss Xia!" The person who came was Ma Zhiguo. Looking at that car again, except for the Beijing brand, nothing has changed, which makes people look so familiar. Pony is wearing a leather jacket and jeans, and seems to have grown a little taller, still with the same simple appearance.Xia Yingjie looked at him and smiled: "Come here by car, so stylish." "Boss Deng approved it." Xiao Ma took the travel bag from Xia Yingjie's hand, opened the car door and let her sit in front, "Get in the car, it's warm inside." The warm air was turned on in the car, which was indeed much more comfortable than outside, but Xia Yingjie still felt uncomfortable sitting in it.Since Deng Wenying remitted a loan of 150,000 yuan to Haikou last month, this car has legally become Deng Wenying's personal property. "Where are you going?" asked the pony. "That depends on what you want to eat." "Can I eat anything?" Xiao Ma thought for a while and said, "It's better to eat roast duck." Twenty minutes later, Xiao Ma parked the car in the parking lot not far from the roast duck restaurant, and the two walked towards the restaurant on foot.Xia Yingjie noticed that pony was carrying a black leather bag in his hand. Almost every table in the roast duck restaurant is full of customers.The waiter arranged the two of them to sit down at a small table next to the flower pond, and after a short while, a set of Beijing's famous food was placed on the table. The pony ate with gusto, and was not at all restrained in front of Xia Yingjie.Xia Yingjie waited for him to eat for a while before saying: "Xiao Ma, I came to Beijing for a meeting this time. Yikun asked me to take this opportunity to have a face-to-face conversation with you and learn about your life. Now that things are turning around in Haikou, I want to know what your future plans are." Xiao Ma obviously thought about this issue, and said: "I stayed in the fashion team for a while, and then drove again. This year I got used to Beijing a little bit, and I even made a girlfriend. Generally speaking, I still listen to the big brother. Since you have asked for my opinion, I think, if conditions permit, I hope to stay in Beijing." "What conditions do you mean?" Xia Yingjie asked. "That's what I think," Xiao Ma said, "Boss Deng treats me well and elder brother treats me well. It's the elder brother who really cares about me. Dongfangren Fashion Company is a joint venture between Deng and others. What will happen in the future?" It's hard to say. My girlfriend is an only child, and they want to recruit a son-in-law. In case I can't work in the company, my girlfriend and I plan to open a small restaurant. If my brother can help me, it is possible for me to stay in Beijing. Now we are saving money, and her parents have promised to give some." Xia Yingjie said: "Yikun will respect your opinion, and I hope you can settle down. When will you spend the money? How much? Say hello to Yikun early so that he can make preparations. Ask in your heart." Xiao Ma said: "I'm fine now, and I don't want to cause trouble to my elder brother. I'm afraid that if I encounter a hurdle that I can't get over. With Sister Xia's words, I have a solid foundation in my heart." Xia Yingjie asked, "Why did you leave the fashion team?" "I can't stand my self-esteem," Xiao Ma said. "A man standing on the stage with a greasy face, twisting his waist and adjusting his buttocks like a woman, looks like a male whore. I am a driver and eat by strength, and I am always a man standing in a crowd. .” "If it's work, someone has to do it." Xia Yingjie couldn't help laughing, and asked again, "Why don't you bring your girlfriend today?" "She's not high enough." Xiao Ma said triumphantly, "Who is Sister Xia now? Can I meet you casually? I deliberately kept it a secret to create a sense of mystery for her and make her feel that I am a higher class than her. It's safe. She bought a book that day, and I recognized you from the photo right away. I deliberately said indifferently that it was written by my sister. At first she didn't believe it, but then guess what? Shocked her gone." As Xiao Ma said, he took out four copies of "The Silent Man" from his black leather bag and put them on the table, and continued: "One of these books is hers, and the other three are her girlfriend's. You sign it, I show my face, and she has face. I have to prove it to her, or who am I? Maybe she Will blow me away." "Is it that serious?" "Of course." Xiao Ma said, "My eldest brother is a great person, and my sister Xia is a famous person, can that be the same?" Xia Yingjie smiled, took out his pen, and signed the book while saying: "When are you going to get married, tell your elder brother earlier, we are all coming to Beijing, we have to make it a big deal for you." The pony was even happier. Will not accept the order of the king outside. Xia Yingjie took her own initiative and changed the original plan to visit her parents in the Yunan Oilfield, and took the two thousand dollars that Song Yikun gave her to Shandong directly from Beijing. She was going to visit Song Yikun's sister deep in the mountains.This was by no means a whim on her mind, but she had already made up her mind before going to Beijing for the meeting. She knew that her days abroad would not be too long.When Deng Wenying repaid the loan of 150,000 yuan as scheduled, 1.2 million yuan in RMB was converted into US dollars and remitted to Rome, which was more than the original amount.Ye Hongjun sent a special person to Haikou to take the two passports and bring them into Italy. No matter what means and at what cost, it was only a matter of time before he could get the entry visa. Out of overall and long-term considerations, Song Yikun remitted all the funds that could be remitted out, and only kept 50,000 yuan in cash in the country. After deducting his 10,000 yuan living fund and her travel expenses abroad, the money that can be used flexibly It is very limited. In this case, Song Yikun offered her two thousand dollars to visit her home. She would not accept it calmly. Song Yikun only had his sister as a relative, and he hadn't written a letter to his family for more than two years.She felt that it was more necessary and meaningful to visit Miss Song in Shandong than to go back to Yunan Oilfield before going abroad. Xia Yingjie got off the train and changed to a long-distance bus. Six hours later, he arrived at a county town. It was almost dark at this time.The county seat is small, with only a handful of main streets, and almost no decent buildings. All the shops are small and dilapidated. People's clothes are between foreign and rustic, and it seems that they generally lack some kind of spirit.You can feel the atmosphere of the countryside everywhere here, and you can feel poverty and backwardness everywhere. Often, when the cars pass by, the dust raised on the road makes people unable to see anything. Walking out of the dilapidated bus station, several rickshaws have already rushed up to grab business.Xia Yingjie needed a guide, so he got into one of the cars, and a strong man pulled her towards the designated place. In front of an ordinary house near the county middle school, Xia Yingjie was told that this was the place she was looking for.She paid the fare, stood there looking at the house for a while, and knocked on the door. A man in his forties opened the door and asked, "Who are you looking for?" "Excuse me, is this Teacher Song Baoying's home?" Geng Yingjie asked politely.It was so cold that her voice trembled a little. Song Baoying is Song Yikun's sister. The man looked the well-dressed woman up and down, and replied, "She's not at home. Who are you?" "My name is Xia Yingjie, and I'm Song Yikun's fiancée." The man's eyes immediately became alert, he paused for a moment, and asked with something in his words: "Is Yikun not married yet?" "Married, divorced again." Xia Yingjie took out the divorce certificate prepared in advance and handed it to the man. "Oh, that's right." The man relaxed after reading the certificate, and said to himself, "I remember his wife's name is Deng Wenying, but I haven't seen her before. How could another one appear?" Xia Yingjie was tired and hungry, his lips were purple from the cold, and he said, "Can I go inside and talk about it?" The man hurriedly said: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please come in. I was confused by you just now." This is an old-fashioned bungalow with brick and tile structure, with three rooms, and the kitchen is a simple shed at the entrance.There is hardly a decent piece of furniture in the house, all of which are styles from more than ten years ago.There is a stove in the house, and there is a smell of soot as soon as you enter the door.The whole house is too dilapidated due to years of disrepair, but there is still a strong cultural atmosphere, books, newspapers and teaching materials can be seen everywhere. From the wedding photos on the wall, Xia Yingjie could tell that the person in front of him was his brother-in-law.The teenage girl sitting at the dining table with the bowl, knew without asking that she was the niece.The little girl had delicate features, and looked at the guests with a pair of watery eyes. The brother-in-law said to the little girl: "Xiaofang, this is your aunt, go get a basin of hot water and let your aunt wipe her face." Xiaofang stood up and called "Auntie" politely, then turned around and went out to fetch hot water. The brother-in-law took Xia Yingjie's coat and purse, and brought a chair for her to sit on. Xia Yingjie soaked his hands in hot water for a while, then washed his face, feeling much warmer on his body.Seeing that Xiaofang was going to clear the table, she said, "Don't accept it, let's eat together." The brother-in-law said: "How can I let you eat this? I will go to the street to buy some vegetables later, and I will steam rice for you." "It's good for me to eat this." Xia Yingjie sat down at the dining table, reached out and picked up a steamed bun and took a bite.There is a plate of fried vegetables and a small plate of pickles on the table, and there is millet porridge in the bowl. My brother-in-law is a middle school teacher and he is not good at socializing. He just kept saying, "How can this be done? How can this be done?" Xia Yingjie's easy-going and generosity eased everyone's strangeness. My brother-in-law asked: "Are you from Shanghai? Why didn't Yikun come with you?" Xia Yingjie said: "Yikun has been away from Shanghai for more than a year. We have been living in Haikou. I took advantage of the opportunity to have a meeting in Beijing. Yikun doesn't know. This time I may have offended him. The purpose of writing a letter at home is to make a career and have an explanation to the family.” The brother-in-law nodded, and then said, "You stay here first. Your sister is not at home, and the house is too messy. After a while, Xiaofang and I will take you to the county party committee guest house. The conditions there are not high-end, but it is clean and has heating. I will go tomorrow It’s not easy for you to bring your sister back from the mountains, so stay a few more days and talk to your sister.” "Don't bother." Xia Yingjie said, "I'm here this time because I want to go to the mountains to see Eldest Sister, the school in the mountains and Eldest Sister's work." "That's impossible." My brother-in-law said quickly, "The cars in the county only go down the mountain, and there are more than 20 miles of mountain roads up the mountain to the school." "I must go, as long as I have a guide." Xia Yingjie said, "Eldest sister can walk, and I am young and healthy, and I can walk even more. I can also see the scenery in the mountains." "In this case," my brother-in-law put down the tableware and pondered for a while, and said, "I have a distant relative who runs transportation and drives an agricultural tricycle. You are safe, and you can save some energy. It’s just that the mountain road is not easy to walk, and generally no one wants to go, and the toll is higher. It’s more than 80 miles back and forth, and it costs 100 yuan. In addition, the car is very bumpy.” "Okay, that's it." Xia Yingjie said. "If you want to go, leave early." The brother-in-law said, "I'll get in touch tonight. You will leave at six o'clock tomorrow morning, and come back before dark." Xia Yingjie took out two thousand U.S. dollars from his body and put them on the dining table, saying: "I didn't bring anything with me this time. You can accept the two thousand U.S. dollars, and you can go to the County People's Bank to exchange them into RMB to supplement your living expenses. Yikun said that the eldest sister put The family savings are all used for running the school, so it is best not to tell her about the money, buy some clothes and some furniture for the children, in short, it must be used at home." Two thousand U.S. dollars is equal to more than 16,000 yuan. My brother-in-law can calculate this account, but he refuses to accept anything. "Stop arguing." Xia Yingjie said, "I know Yikun's thoughts. He has been thinking about this family all the time. He is thinking about long-term issues, so I can't give this little money. I can only express my personal feelings. .” The brother-in-law had no choice but to say: "Let's put it here first, and your elder sister will decide how to deal with it later. I can tell her what you want." Xia Yingjie asked: "Brother-in-law, when my eldest sister quit her job and used the family's money to run a school in the mountains, but she couldn't take care of the family, what did the people around her think about this? What's your attitude?" "Nowadays everyone is grabbing money, and gossip is always inevitable." My brother-in-law said calmly, "I have nothing personally, I am a teacher myself. I know Baoying's background. Few people are as eager as she is for children in the mountains to go to school." It’s so deeply felt.” Xia Yingjie asked again: "If Yikun hadn't sent the money home at that time, would my eldest sister have left the county?" "I don't think so, at least she doesn't have the ability." Xia Yingjie nodded and said, "I think that's why Yikun kept silent. What he thinks about most is the eldest sister, and this family. He said that the matter of the eldest sister cannot be solved with tens of thousands of dollars. Here It may refer more to the life of the eldest sister and brother-in-law in their later years." They chatted while eating, and after the meal, Geng Yingjie drank tea for a while, and then accompanied by his brother-in-law and Xiaofang, he went to the county party committee guest house to register for accommodation. Xia Yingjie spent the night in the highest standard hotel in the county. Early the next morning, there was indeed an agricultural motor tricycle parked on the side of the road at the entrance of the guest house. My brother-in-law and the driver were waiting downstairs. The driver was a simple and strong man in his forties.Xia Yingjie got into the car wearing a coat, and her brother-in-law handed her a big cotton hat, and then the tricycle pulled her into the mountains. The carriage was open to the air, and the howling cold wind pierced through the cotton-padded clothes, leaving nowhere for people to hide. The road from the county seat to the bottom of the mountain is relatively flat, but after going up the mountain, it's completely different. The carriage is like a big dustpan, bumping violently on the rugged mountain road, causing Xia Yingjie to stagger from side to side, jump up and down, his internal organs are churning, That taste is really unforgettable for a lifetime.What is even more frightening is the precipitousness of the mountain roads. There are often cliffs on one side and valleys on the other. At this moment, there is no time to care about the beautiful mountain scenery. After walking for more than an hour on the mountain road of more than 20 miles, they finally arrived at the destination - Mafang Village.This is where Song Yikun was born and where Song Baoying founded the elementary school. Xia Yingjie couldn't help feeling a sense of intimacy with this place. Mafang Village is located on a relatively flat hillside and surrounded by mountains. There are more than one hundred households scattered in the village. The roofs of the farmhouses are mostly thatched, and the stone foundations are exposed under the earthen walls.The distribution of farmland is very scattered, with different shapes.There are no electric lights and wires here, so city dwellers who are used to hearing mechanical noises will feel a kind of rustic tranquility. As we approached the elementary school, we could gradually hear the sound of children reading.The school was built at the head of the village, with five rows of stone-tiled houses surrounded by earth walls. The school gate was made of wood, and a wooden board was hung beside the gate, which read "Mafang Village Primary School". People living in the city can't imagine such a small school with such crude facilities.As soon as Xia Yingjie stepped onto the grounds of the campus, he felt a heavy shock, and a wave of respect rose spontaneously.Although these buildings do not seem to be enough to be described by the word "architecture", but it came from the shoulders of an ordinary woman and appeared in this poor and forgotten mountain village. The love, courage and sacrifice it contains can be imagined .In this sense, even the use of the word "great" is by no means excessive. Xia Yingjie walked into the principal's office according to the sign. To be exact, it was just an extra desk in the single dormitory.There is no one in the room, only teaching materials, textbooks on the table and some simple daily necessities in the corner.She walked from her office to a classroom and made eye contact with a young female teacher who was teaching students. The female teacher came out and asked, "Who are you looking for?" "I'm looking for Song Baoying." "She is in class." The female teacher said, "Please wait in the principal's office for a while." The driver who was next to Xia Yingjie saw this and said that he was going to visit relatives in the village to see if he could find some business along the way, and agreed to pick her up at the school at five o'clock in the afternoon. There is no heating facility in the principal's office, and the biggest feeling is the word "cold".Xia Yingjie couldn't understand teaching under such harsh conditions.How long can even Iron Man last?It has been decades since China was liberated, so why does this phenomenon still exist? At nine o'clock, there was a sound of metal knocking in the campus, and get out of class was over.Students swarmed out from several classrooms and played in the campus, there were about sixty or seventy people.The innocent and cheerful laughter of the children injected vitality into the silent mountain. A nearly forty-year-old woman came with a textbook. She had a dignified face and kind eyes. Song Yikun could be vaguely seen in the contours of her face. Her thin figure was not well-fitted in a thick cotton-padded coat, and her ear-length hair was short. A few strands of silver appeared prematurely.This is the principal Song Baoying, who makes people feel elegant and friendly at first glance. "You looking for me?" Song Baoying asked. "I'm Yikun's fiancée." Xia Yingjie introduced himself and had to explain things like this again. "That's right." Song Baoying understood. She looked at Xia Yingjie from head to toe, and said distressedly: "Going around here from Hainan, it's really hard for you in this icy and snowy place. Come on, I'll take you to the kitchen to warm up." The kitchen is next to the teacher’s dormitory, covering an area of ​​more than ten square meters. There is a large stove built against the wall. There is a large iron pot on it, which burns dry firewood. There are two large water tanks next to it, and there are several bags of grain. Song Baoying lit the stove. Pour water into the pot. "Do you use this method to keep warm?" Xia Yingjie asked. "I asked you to keep warm as a piggyback." Song Baoying said, "It's too cold, boil some water for the children to drink, otherwise the children will not be able to bear it." Xia Yingjie was panicked when he heard this, and said, "The Hope Project has been in progress for several years, but haven't we received any donations?" Song Baoying smiled lightly and said: "It seems that you lack common sense in this area. There are 200 million illiterates in our country, and one out of every four illiterates in the world is a Chinese. In the past ten years, an average of one million children in our country have died of poverty every year. As for those who are out of school, it is hoped that the project will enable 400,000 children to go back to school at most, which is just a drop in the bucket for the entire educationally poor area. Take our county as an example, 13% of the students in the county failed to complete primary school, and 18.7% of school-age children did not go to school. , The situation in the town is relatively better, but when it comes to remote villages, the situation is very serious." At this time, the sound of metal knocking sounded again in the campus, class was over, Xia Yingjie said: "Sister, you go to class, I'll boil the water." "There is no class for me in this class." Song Baoying said. Xia Yingjie helped to light the fire, and her body became warm. She asked, "How does the school get its funding? Where are the teachers?" Song Baoying said: "As for the funds, the township provides some, the village takes some, and the families of a few boys pay some. You may not have noticed that most of the girls here are free to enroll, otherwise the family will not let them go to school. Rural concepts are outdated, girls They are not taken seriously, but people don’t know that they will be mothers in the future. Delaying a boy will only miss him, and delaying a girl will affect a generation. There are only four teachers here, all of whom are volunteers. The monthly salary is less than 100 yuan, and it is impossible to persevere without some dedication.” Xia Yingjie said: "If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would never have connected this place with Yikun. The distance is too great." "You think it's unbelievable?" Song Baoying smiled and said, "Compared to when Yikun and I went to school, the conditions here are much better. At that time, my family lived in the village, and there was no school here. We had to leave the house after five o'clock every morning. , walked more than ten miles to school on the mountain road, and never had a lunch in the years of primary school. Even so, we are still lucky.” "Sister," Xia Yingjie asked, "Have you considered how you will live in your later years when you do this? I mean your health and financial situation." Song Baoying smiled and said: "If you think about that, who would dare to come to the mountains? My father died of exhaustion just to let us go to school. People, no matter how they live, they will live for a lifetime. The children here can't get out without knowledge. There is no hope if you can't get out of the mountains. I think someone has to die from exhaustion." These words were spoken so plainly and casually, as simple as the polite expressions of people in the city, but to people from another world, they had a tear-jerking impact.Nowadays, "women's rights" are being talked about everywhere, and "women live for themselves", so who should a woman like Song Baoying live for? Xia Yingjie's eyes were wet, she really wanted to cry but suppressed it, she felt that there were some issues that needed to be pondered in the next novel about women's equal rights, at least she felt that the slogan "women live for themselves" was starting to go wrong. 夏英杰只有在这种时刻才真正理解了宋一坤，他之所以不往家里寄钱，是因为有多少钱也不会改变姐姐的个人生活，他是要保证姐姐的晚年生活不能成为未知数。一个宋一坤救不了整个穷山村，却救得了一个姐姐。 毕竟，他们姐弟之间是两种不同性格的人。弟弟有狮子般的冷静和胆识，有那种狭路相逢勇者胜的男性风格，而姐姐则更趋于朴实和善良，其中也不乏职业品格和故土意识。 夏英杰说：“大姐，听说父亲就埋在附近的山里，我想去看看，给老人添把土。” “怎么好让你去呢？不必了。” “这么说，大姐是不认我这个媳妇了？” “哪能呢？”宋宝英想了想，说，“既然你愿意，中午放学后我带你去，就算你替一坤尽点孝心吧，一坤已经几年没回家了。” 夏英杰立刻更正：“我不代表他，一坤欠的孝心应该由他自己来还，我代表我自己。我想，只是了解父亲生平的人，谁都会敬重老人的骨气。” “骨气”两个字竟有这般力量，说得宋宝英百感交集，头一低，默默淌下两行泪。她马上擦掉了，挂着泪痕对夏英杰笑笑，问：“一坤两年多没写信，是不是出事了？” “没有。”夏英杰撒了一个谎。 "Really?" “真的没有。”夏英杰把谎言又重复了一次，并且解释道，“一坤要面子，想干成点事情再向家里汇报。” “没事就好。”宋宝英这才放心。她很明智，一句不问弟弟离婚的事，怕引出不愉快的话题。 就在学生们即将下课的时候，水烧开了，像经过计算的一样，下了课的孩子们蜂涌而至，习惯性地拿着各种杯子前来打开水。宋宝英熟练地给每一只杯子倒上水，嘴里不住地叮嘱：“小心，别烫着。” 这场面对孩子们已经习以为常了，却让夏英杰非常感动，在她看来，宋宝英这时候更像一位母亲，而不是校长。 十分钟后，教室又开始上课了。离放学时间还有两节课，约一个半小时，夏英杰决定利用这段时间四处走走，看看村庄，看看大山的自然风貌。 这里是山的世界，山外有山，山上有山，远山连绵不断，如长龙起舞，如海涛奔腾，千姿百态，气势非凡。寒风吹过山谷，吹过严冬干枯的树枝，发出一种特别的声音，使人联想起超乎自然之外的神秘力量，冷峻而幽深。 这里的山也称之为“泰山”，却完全不同于旅游圣地的那部分，距离旅游区的风水和福份似有万里之遥。但是这里的确比旅游区更具大自然的风韵，如果不是在这里生活的话，如果仅仅是观赏的话，这里更迷人。 夏英杰站在山顶，站在这块贫穷的土地上，感慨万分。 青春、健康、美貌。 爱情、事业、荣誉。 一个女人梦想拥有的东西她全都拥有了，而且超出了她的期望值，就像一个只想掏出几粒金子的人却掘出了一座金矿，她应该是最幸福的女人了。当然，她确实是幸福的，但这幸福里总让人感觉少了什么东西。what is it then? sense of security? sense of security? 似乎是，又似乎不是。一切都在隐约的感觉之间，在朦胧之间，因为一切都来得太快了，反差太大了。在她最初的追求里，无论爱人、家庭、事业，那都是普通层次的概念，与普通女子的愿望没有区别，而现在，她完全进人了一个与众不同的领地，转速之快让她不知所措，她想稳一稳，静下来思考一下，却被一种力量推着，拉着，身不由己地勇往直前。 如果说她缺乏安全感的话，那么这种安全感太微妙、太复杂了，不是语言可以表达的，也不是普通女子所寻求的那种标准，它有更高的层次、更深的涵义，它已经超越了一个人对生存需要的本能。 她看着大山心想，假如宋一坤是眼前的一幅画，那么她宁可守在大山，做一辈子清贫的收藏家。 一架沉重的机器开始转动了，从维也纳到罗马，从江州到玉南，纵横交错的每一个齿轮都在同一根神经的支配下做着不同形式的运动，而操纵这架庞大机器的人却像红尘隐士一样，端坐于素有天涯海角之称的孤岛上，专心致志地做起关于妇女平等权益的学问来。 调动一切可以利用的力量，集中攻击于某一个点位，不打无准备之仗，尽量避免短兵相接，这是宋一坤的一贯战略。他希望他的文化学问能够平静地做下去，那就意味着机器运转正常。 此时，他走出书房站在敞开的窗前，不知是在思考问题还是严冬季节里这个地区独有的春色，这里看不到冰天雪地，到处是鲜花绿叶。 忽然，一辆驶来的出租车引起了他的极大关注，因为从车里下来的不是别人，而是按计划时间还不该回来的夏英杰。他脑子里立刻闪出一个问题：是不是因出国一事她与家里发生冲突了？ 夏英杰看见了他，仰着脸笑着朝他招招手，提着行李迫不及待地往楼上走。 “不像是出事的表情。”宋一坤想。 夏英杰进门后放下大衣和皮包，不由分说便将宋一坤亲呢和“蹂躏”了一番。宋一坤问： “十天的假期，怎么五天就回来了？不是让你在家里多住几天的吗？” 夏英杰笑着说：“给你槁个突然袭击，看你有没有金屋藏娇，瞧，你紧张了吧？这让我怎么放心呢？” 宋一坤无奈地一笑，又问：“那是北京方面的活动不顺利？” “顺利，小马也挺好的。”夏英杰答道，“我根本没回玉南，我去山东找宝英姐了，还去了马坊村。” 宋一坤愣住了，也明白了。面对这样一个善解人意的女人，他还能说什么呢？ “你生气了？”这是夏英杰最担心的。 “有这个道理吗？”宋一坤反问，接着说，“过几天罗马要来人送护照了，出国前你总得回家看看。” 夏英杰说：“不回去也好，免得人家说我刚出点小名就招摇过市。再说，出国的事还不宜让家里知道得太早，万一情况有变那多失面子。” 宋一坤问：“家里有事吗？” “没有大变化。”夏英杰说，“小芳上中学了，姐夫还在县中学教书，就是大姐的工作条件太艰苦。我真不虚此行，开眼界受教育了，感想不少，对写作也有帮助，回头我慢慢讲给你听。” “那个不急。”宋一坤说，“这儿有你的一封信，江薇送来的，在写字台上，你先看看。” "Who's here?" “我怎么知道？”宋一坤说，“信是从英国寄来的，大概是你大学的校友吧。” “没听说谁去英国了。”夏英杰自语着走进书房，拿起信封一看，立刻认出了上面的中文字体出自女友林萍的手笔。再看发信地址，确实是英文书写的英国城市曼彻斯特。她很纳闷，用剪刀剪开信封，里面还有四张照片。信的内容很短—— 阿杰，你好。 事情发生了变化，法国没去成，糊里糊涂来到了英国，付出了很大的代价。现在稳定了，我在一家日本人经营的商场里做售货员，收入不错，请不要挂念。 你还干打字吗？结婚了没有？海口一别半年多了，十分想念，非常希望知道你的消息，请早点来信，别忘了寄上你的照片，一张也可以，千万别忘了。 goodbye 你的朋友林萍 一九九三年十一月二十一日 这封信太短了，完全不符合出国女人的习惯心理，更不符合林萍能说爱道的性格。信确实是林萍写的，却不难看出刻意斟酌词句的痕迹。夏英杰心里升起一股疑团。 照片上的林萍非常美，从发型到服装都与过去有所不同，比过去少了一份艳丽和性感，多了一份朴素和端庄。眼神也不像从前那样傲视一切了，而是流露出一丝淡淡的忧伤。四张照片的背景既没有选择豪华建筑，也没有选择繁华闹市，而是一幢极普通的居民楼。 夏英杰冲着门外说：“一坤，这是林萍的信，你来帮我看看，我感觉有问题。” 宋一坤站在客厅的窗前没动，说：“你刚进门，先吃饭，我不过问你们女人之间的事。” 夏英杰拿着信进来说：“你讲男女平等时一套一套的，可骨子里的东西藏不住，一不留神尾巴就露出来了。你真该去当政治家，照亮了别人，黑暗了自己。” 宋一坤只好接过信，说：“我是尊重妇女，给你心里留出一块自留地，你别歪曲我的意思。” “咱们家搞人民公社，谁都不能有自留地。”夏英杰笑着说，“我先去洗澡，呆会儿听你解释。” 宋一坤说：“你先给江薇打个电话，她说要把你们的人事档案挂在人才交流中心，你该去了解一下，是不是已经不用上班了。另外，江薇邀请姓苏的书商来海口商量事情，据说还要去北京与什么人见面，像是为以后介人文化市场做准备。我看她对你下一本书的创作很关注，这事你应该在她去北京之前谈清楚，不能让她把重心都放在你的作品上，否则你负不起责任，谁敢保证你每写一本书都是高质量、高效益？” “行，我和她约个见面时间。”夏英杰说完便去打电话了，然后去厨房开热水器，准备该换的衣服。 宋一坤仔细看了信，边信封都看了一遍，按常规推断，确实有不对头的地方。 半小时之后，夏英杰从卫生间里出来了，穿着宽大的浴衣，一边用于毛巾擦头发上的水，她见宋一坤在书房里用电脑整理创作资料，便上前问：“看出什么没有？” “我对林萍不了解，所以只能谈直觉。”宋一坤说着拿起那封信，谈了五点看法。 一、信中没有提及最敏感、最关健的合法居留资格问题，身份不明确，有“黑户”的嫌疑。 two.林萍根本不懂英语，更不可能在日本经营的商场里做售货员，她在撒谎。 三、没有正面解释目的地由法国变更英国的原因，没有正面说明付出了什么代价。 四、信中没有留下电话联络号码，回信地址是间接的，由别人转交。这是有意回避。 五、照片上没有林萍的男朋友，信中也没有提及此人，有可能失去责任关系了。 夏英杰关切地问：“你看，是不是出事了？” “至少有难言之隐。” 夏英杰说：“既然有回信地址，我可以写信问一下，她的情况肯定不太好。” 宋一坤说：“如果她想告诉你，她信上会讲的。别人不想让你知道的事，不要硬打听。” 夏英杰有些茫然，又多了一重心事。