Chapter 10 Yangcheng fulfills the dream of a reporter

No matter how hard life is, how ups and downs, I never gave up my dream.I have always been full of confidence in myself.I believe that I am a capable person and a person who can blaze my own path in writing.Yes, I never went to college, I don't have a diploma, but I believe I have the talent to write.If I really don't like reading or writing, if I'm really a person who just weaves soap bubble dreams, then I might have given up my dream of being a reporter and writer long ago.But this beautiful dream has taken root in the depths of my heart since I was in school. This dream that haunts my youth and life has been accompanied by my growth, just like an evergreen tree that will never wither. My heart is flourishing.When I was a student, I won prizes for my compositions again and again, and my writings that turned into typefaces proved my achievements; especially during the years in the army, my works made a qualitative leap. He has published nearly a hundred articles in central newspapers and periodicals, some of which have won awards.Although those articles are naive, they are the result of my hard work after all, and they are the trajectory of my step by step on the long literary journey.I am even full of self-confidence in myself: Although my current grades are nothing, but in terms of writing foundation and current grades, it is definitely not inferior to those college students who graduated from the Chinese Department and Journalism Department of regular universities .

Maybe someone will ask me this way: Isn't it just a diploma?All kinds of fake diplomas can be seen everywhere in the society. Isn’t it easier to make fake diplomas in the south?Why don't you make a fake diploma?To be honest, when I was turned away again and again because I didn't have a diploma, I didn't have the idea of ​​making a fake diploma.At that time, all kinds of fake advertisements could be seen everywhere in the streets and alleys of Yangcheng. You only need to spend a few hundred yuan to get a red book from a famous university. .But the idea of ​​mess is quickly gone with the wind.I am a soldier, and honesty is the most basic essence of being a human being. I don't want to be fake, and I can't do it. At the same time, I also understand that this kind of behavior is an illegal and bad behavior.Gorky, Dickens, Jack London, Gao Yubao, etc. Didn’t these Chinese and foreign writers who wrote exciting works never go to university and have no diploma?Some of them didn't even enter the school for a day, didn't they also write masterpieces through their unremitting efforts?I don't believe that I can't realize my dream without going to college!I don't believe that you can't work as a reporter in a newspaper without a diploma!I believe that as long as we make unremitting efforts and pursue it down-to-earth, good opportunities will surely come to the hard-working ugly duckling like Fairy Lingbo.

The first opportunity finally came, even if it was not as good as it should have been.It was the third month after I left the construction site in Xinshi. One morning, when I was sweating profusely and came out of a large talent market on Xianlie Middle Road, Guangzhou, I suddenly saw a dozen people with bright faces. At first glance, he looked like a college student who had just graduated from college and was looking for a job.They were closely following a middle-aged man wearing glasses coming out of it.I found that the leading middle-aged man was holding a stack of resumes in one hand, and holding a billboard in the other. The big words on it caught my attention: "Health XX Daily" recruits editors and reporters.In the morning, I squeezed a few times back and forth in this crowded talent market, and saw two magazines recruiting, but the conditions offered by the other were very high and harsh, so I had to walk away wisely, but I didn’t see any newspapers I'm recruiting.Seeing these sweaty young people walking out of the house, I guess they must be going for an interview.No matter what the result is, I will follow along, even if I can't enter the door of others, so I can go to recognize the door, maybe I can still contribute in the future.

I followed this group without saying a word, and under the leadership of the middle-aged man, I soon came to a nearby provincial scientific research institution.The newspaper office is on the third floor.The interviewees wait outside in a conference room.Since the ventilation here is not good, there is no air conditioner, electric fan, and the light is not good, I took a few copies of "Health XX Daily" and went outside to read in the corridor.This is a professional newspaper jointly organized by a company and a scientific research institute in Guangdong Province. It is mainly a weekly newspaper that promotes health and health elements.After watching for a while, a tall young man with delicate features came over and asked me: You are an applicant, why don't you wait behind?I said: There are too many people there, it is better to wait until the interview is over before I go.I'll read the newspaper first to learn more about the situation.Then I asked again: Excuse me, do you work here?He nodded.After a few words, we chatted immediately.His name is Liu Liang, two years older than me, from Jiangxi, and he is the director of the interview department here.Liu Liang flipped through my works and said: Your writing is good, and you have published a lot of articles. Based on your conditions, there shouldn't be any major problems.I quickly told him: I have never been to college, and I have no diploma.Liu Liang scratched her head and said: People who do writing work should have savvy, and it has nothing to do with diplomas.His words suddenly narrowed the distance between them.Then he told me quietly: I think you are a very real person.Our president is from the army and has also done propaganda work in the army.You can tell him the truth about your situation when the time comes.Then, he reminded me what to say and what not to say during the interview.

After the interviews with those college students were over, I walked into the president's office under the leadership of Liu Liang.The president's surname is Zhang, he is thirty-five or sixteen years old, and he wears a pair of gold-rimmed short-sighted glasses, looking refined and refined.As soon as I heard the accent, I knew he was from Hunan.After he learned about my experience, he immediately showed appreciation.After reading my resume and information, he said: We all require applicants to be undergraduates, but your situation is special.I also came from the army, and those who serve in the army can bear hardships and stand hard work.How about this, I'll hire you as an exception. The probationary period is 3 months, and the monthly salary is 600 yuan, which will be added later depending on the performance.I can go to work tomorrow.

As soon as I heard that I was admitted so quickly, I was very happy.Although I often encountered some irregular newspapers when applying for a job, some were privately run, some cooperated with others, and some used the brand of a newspaper to actually advertise. They were reporters in name, but in fact they were just a Advertiser for advertising.Some not only have to pay a certain amount of deposit, but also often default on wages.There were dozens of tabloids like that in Yangcheng at that time.I was also lied to once.Although I have only heard of this newspaper at this time, I have seen that their office conditions are not bad, at least they are in a provincial scientific research compound. I also learned a lot from Liu Liang, the director of the interview department. It seems that it will not be the kind of deceptive tabloid.I am very happy, not only because I, who didn't even fill in the form at that time, finally became one of the three admitted, but also this time I can finally realize my dream of being a reporter.

At that time, the newspaper did not have any press credentials, so it issued a letter of introduction during the interview.The newspaper printed business cards for everyone.When I got two boxes of business cards, I held the business cards and looked at them carefully for a long time. The reporter edited the words behind my name, which made me feel even more warm. It told me clearly that this time I really became a reporter.I remember that before joining the army, my greatest hope was to enter the county cultural center to engage in professional creation, and to be a reporter in the county newspaper office.Now, I have finally become a reporter. Although this newspaper is not well-known, it can still be regarded as a provincial newspaper. In this way, it is much better than the county newspaper in my hometown.

At the beginning, the president just asked me to write news and focus on good social news.I also published several manuscripts in a row.Although during the probationary period, the president promised only a monthly salary of 600 yuan and no other subsidies, I worked very hard every day and rushed to report to the newspaper office every day.At that time, besides a college student who left on his own after a week, there was also a young man named Min Hongsong who entered the newspaper office with me.Under the leadership of Liu Liang, we not only conducted interviews but also edited manuscripts.There is also a tall girl named Zhang Yan in the same office as us. She is from the Northwest and graduated from the Foreign Language Department of Lanzhou University. She is fair-skinned, tall and beautiful.Originally, she could have found a good job, but like me, she also loves literature and always wants to fulfill her dream of being a reporter and writer, so she just entered this newspaper.Her work is mainly editing manuscripts and drawing layouts.

However, I was too happy.A series of events that followed quickly shattered my first dream of being a reporter. The hard-earned money I earned from the construction site will soon be gone, but I figured I'd be paid as long as I could make it to the end of the month.In order to save money, I never dared to eat box lunches with my colleagues. I either ate a steamed bun or two at noon, or bought a piece of bread to make up for a meal. At night, I went back to the rented room to cook noodles for dinner.Finally, at the end of the month, when it was time to pay wages, the newspaper office said that it could not pay wages due to poor efficiency; this is not counted, the president Zhang also asked us not to write news articles from now on, saying that such trivial things Social news can't lay eggs at all, can't make a penny, and has to occupy the space for nothing. We are repeatedly asked to go out to promote advertisements, especially advertisements about medicine and health care.This month, Liu Liang and Zhang Yan didn't get their salary, and Xiao Min and I, the two newcomers, naturally didn't get a penny.After persisting for more than half a month, the newspaper still had no money except for sending each person a few large packages of "immortal herbal tea" used by a pharmaceutical company to offset advertising costs.Now it's not just our newcomers, even Liu Liang quit.One afternoon, Liu Liang quarreled with President Zhang in the office because of salary.It turned out that Liu Liang was originally the department director of a newspaper in Huadu in the suburbs, but she came here after being promised a high salary by the president Zhang.In the first month, he got a salary of more than 1,000 yuan, but in the next few months, he couldn't even get the minimum salary. He only got commission fees for two advertisements.I also learned that this newspaper was originally contracted to President Zhang by a certain department, and that it carried the newspaper brand. In fact, it was mainly engaged in the business of medicines and health care products.Although newspapers are published every week, their circulation is not fixed. If someone pays for advertisements, an extra part of this issue will be printed.Originally, President Zhang promised to give Liu Liang a proportional commission after earning money, but later he never honored it. Unexpectedly, he would not even give the basic salary later.

When Xiao Min and I learned about this situation, we felt a bit cold. We didn't expect that the superior who was a transferred officer would also engage in such deceptive tricks.After work this morning, President Zhang, who was still losing his temper with the NPC in the morning, specially called me to his office, asked me questions, and praised me for my hard work.Then, he paid me 400 yuan.I asked him what kind of money it was, and he spread his hands and said to me helplessly: This is my first month's salary, because the newspaper office has been losing money for the past few months, and I really have no money. Make it up for me.He also whispered to me that Liu Liang was no longer competent for his job, and he was going to let him go.At the same time, he repeatedly hinted to me that if I listen to him and follow him well, the position of director of the interview department will definitely be mine in the future.My heart pounded when I heard it: I just want to be a good reporter and learn some real skills in the newspaper office. At this time, I haven't thought of becoming a director.How can I command others if my professional level is not high?Who is working as a reporter and editor here without a college degree?I was noncommittal at the time, and I didn't take it to heart. I didn't understand the president's good intentions until the next day.I saw that my salary was reduced from 600 yuan to 400 yuan in the first month, so I was naturally unhappy.But at this time, I didn't even have the money to eat, so I didn't want to fight for anything, so I just took it. After all, this is my salary in exchange for hard work.At that time, I didn't understand why the president only paid my wages, and the others didn't pay a penny.

Because the "negotiations" broke down, Liu Liang offered to resign the next day and asked Zhang to pay off the wages owed, and the two quarreled again in the office.At this time, A Fang, Liu Liang's wife, came just in time. Seeing this, she hurried forward to protect her husband, and angrily rushed over to scold President Zhang angrily.As a result, the two sides quarreled and started pushing and shoving.Xiao Min and I hurried forward to persuade the fight, unexpectedly, the editorial director of the newspaper, Lao Yu, the financial director, Xiao Pan, and the security director, Lao Li (of course, he was just a security guard) all rushed in after hearing the sound. .The group beat and kicked Liu Liang and his wife without saying a word.Zhang Yan and a few female reporters were so frightened that their faces turned pale, and they were stunned, not knowing what to do. Seeing that Liu Liang and his wife were about to suffer a big loss, Xiao Min and I rushed forward to stop them.Xiao Min was wearing short-sighted glasses, and was hit a few times during the pushing and shoving.The short little Pan, who usually has a high face and holds the financial and financial power of the newspaper, and the security guard not only beat Liu Liang and his wife in public, but also attacked Xiao Min, who tried to persuade them to fight. severely stopped.However, when I saw that Liu Liang and his wife had been pushed to the ground by them, and Xiao Min, who had acted bravely, was also pinned to the floor by Li Baoan and rolled his eyes. Those few bullies kept dragging and kicking Li Baoan's ass several times.The opponent naturally didn't expect that I would make a move at this critical moment, and the move was fast and fierce, overthrowing them all to the ground at once.I ignored President Zhang's exasperated expression, and while glaring at the assailants, I protected Liu Liang, his wife and Xiao Min and hurried out. This commotion had a very bad impact on the provincial scientific research building.We reported the evil behavior of the president to the higher authorities.Later, although some of Liu Liang and Xiao Min's money were deducted, they were all in their hands after all.After the three of us resigned, Zhang Yan and several colleagues also left angrily.It is said that the tabloid was almost paralyzed all at once. I just worked as a reporter for more than a month, and I lost my job again.Once the rent was paid, I had almost nothing left with me.After learning about my predicament, Liu Liang and his wife immediately invited me to live in his house, and said that although they had a one-bedroom apartment, they could arrange a small bed for me in the living room.He gratefully took my hand and said: "You helped me at a critical time, and I don't have anything to thank you for. We will be friends from now on. My financial situation is better than yours. From now on, if I eat, you will eat. If we have You live in whatever you live in..." In this way, I moved with Liu Liang and his wife from the vicinity of Zhongda University to Shibei Village, and temporarily lived with them. Shibei Village is located in the southeast of Tianhe District, Guangzhou.Because there were too many wandering journalists gathered there in those years, like the "Chinese Writers Village" attached to Beijing Lu Xun Academy of Literature, the "Wandering Artists Village" near the Old Summer Palace, and the "Wandering Artists Village" in Songzhuang, Tongzhou, Beijing. Shibei Village at that time was jokingly called the "Village of Chinese Wandering Journalists" by those of us.Because there are three or four hundred journalists who have lived here.Famous wandering journalists include Zeng Huafeng, Liu Liang, Tan Haiqing, Nan Dao, Min Hongsong, Li Zhi, Zhan Zhengkai, Fu Xing, Ross Wen, Fu Dongliu and others. During my stay here, I met a large number of wandering journalists.Later, when I was a reporter for "Guangdong Legal News", "China Import News" and "Guangzhou Traffic Light News", I lived here successively.Although I often move, I still move around in this small village.After the Spring Festival in 1997, because I had no money to pay the rent, I couldn’t bear the pressure from the landlady who looked like Auntie Ba in the movie "Seventy-Two Tenants", so I moved out of the small house in a dark night. Lived in Kecun and Chigang in Henan.