In a flash, mid-May has passed. On this weekend, last night Geng Chuanfeng informed Lin Chaoyang that the renovation of Mianhua Hutong had been completed. Early this morning, Lin Chaoyang and his wife came to Mianhua Hutong, and Du Feng also came to join in the fun.
After more than a month of renovation, the courtyard has a completely new look.
The original dilapidated screen wall at the entrance has been polished and repaired, the doors and windows of each house have been replaced, and the exposed beams, hanging flower doors and other woodwork have been painted.
The green brick floor in the courtyard is in the shape of a cross, and is divided into four small gardens. Two pomegranate trees were specially transplanted into two of them, giving the small courtyard a bit more life.
These two pomegranate trees were moved here by Geng Chuanfeng and others on their own initiative, without Lin Chaoyang paying any money.
The main house facing south is equipped with earthen heaters, and there are radiators in every room. This thing is much warmer than coal stove heating.
There is an independent kitchen and toilet in the courtyard. Let alone an ordinary large courtyard, even the Tongzi Building is not as comfortable as living here.
Although the hardware conditions of the renovated courtyard house are definitely not comparable to those of later generations, considering the living standards of this era, it is already very good.
In the past half month or so, Lin Chaoyang and Tao Yushu have been busy buying furniture and daily necessities for the courtyard.
They usually have to go to work and go to school, and are only free on weekends, so the progress is not fast. Fortunately, because they have foreign exchange coupons in their hands, they don’t need to purchase goods as before. They have to consider the issue of coupons. The worst is to spend some foreign exchange coupons.
.
Tao Yushu was a little distressed before, but after using it a few times, she found that life and shopping were indeed much more convenient with foreign exchange coupons than before.
"The yard has been tidied up, it feels really good!" Du Feng said after looking around inside and outside the house, and then said to Lin Chaoyang with a bit of pride: "How is it? Brother-in-law, my comrades-in-arms
Is your craftsmanship pretty good?"
Lin Chaoyang smiled and nodded, expressing satisfaction.
After looking at the situation in the courtyard, Lin Chaoyang made arrangements to invite Geng Chuanfeng and Du Feng to have lunch outside. However, Tao Yushu came out of the house and shouted: "Wait a minute and hang this plaque at the entrance of the courtyard."
What she held in her hand was the couplet given to Lin Chaoyang by Deng Youmei Zhangluo. Lin Chaoyang said, "Are you really worried?"
"Hang it up, it's all what others want."
She asked Du Feng and Geng Chuanfeng to help, and it took more than ten minutes to hang the plaque at the entrance of the southeast corner of the courtyard.
"Where can I find the fairy music in the sky? The best taste in the world can be found in this Zhai, Xunweizhai. Hey! Brother-in-law, your yard really feels like the former residence of a famous person."
"Xunweizhai" hangs directly above the courtyard door. On the left and right are "Where can I find the immortal sounds in the sky" and "The most delicious taste in the world can be found in this Zhai". Du Feng sighed in praise after finishing reading.
Lin Chaoyang looked at it and felt something was wrong. The more he looked at it, the more it looked like a restaurant sign.
"Bah, bah, bah! What a celebrity's former residence. A dog can't spit out ivory."
Tao Yushu scolded Du Feng. He knew he had said the wrong thing, so he apologized with a smile.
Lin Chaoyang placed the treat at the Old Xi'an Restaurant in Xinjiekou. This is an old restaurant that opened in 1954. It specializes in northwest-style beef and mutton steamed buns and halal dishes.
Geng Chuanfeng is from Shaanxi, and Lin Chaoyang and his wife mainly treat him as a treat, while Du Feng is just a freebie.
While eating, Du Feng asked: "Brother-in-law, the courtyard is ready. When will my aunt and uncle come over?"
Lin Chaoyang said: "They can't live idle, so they have only come here to stay in the winter in the past two years. After a few years, they will get older and can no longer work, so they will come here to take care of themselves."
Du Feng nodded thoughtfully.
Lin Chaoyang was afraid of neglecting Geng Chuanfeng, so he chatted with him for a few more words, and the conversation turned to work matters.
Geng Chuanfeng knew that Lin Chaoyang worked at Yanda and was a writer, so he respected him very much.
"Writer Lin, I really envy you intellectuals!"
"The revolutionary division of labor is different. Aren't you doing well in the army?" Lin Chaoyang said with a smile.
Geng Chuanfeng sighed, "It used to be very good, but now..."
Du Feng knew the reason for his sigh. Geng Chuanfeng belonged to the infrastructure soldiers, and he was an auxiliary soldier like the art soldiers. It was good in the past, but in the past two years, the army has been in CJ, and everyone has a sense of precarious crisis.
.
Lin Chaoyang said with relief: "With your skills, even if you leave the army and go to the local area in the future, it will still be a good thing, and maybe there will be better development."
Du Feng asked: "Brother-in-law, what development can you get in the local area?"
Lin Chaoyang pointed outside and said: "Look outside, how many construction sites are under construction? The country is reforming and opening up, and if the economy is to develop, infrastructure construction is indispensable. People like Chuanfeng and others will be popular in the future."
"That makes sense."
Geng Chuanfeng's eyebrows widened after listening to Lin Chaoyang's words, "Writer Lin, you cultural people still see things in the long term, and I respect you!"
After coming out of the Old Xi'an Restaurant, Geng Chuanfeng left first. Du Feng pulled Lin Chaoyang and asked in a low voice: "Brother-in-law, what happened last time..."
"I knew you had ulterior motives for coming today."
Du Feng chuckled guiltily.
"A movie directed by Li Hanxiang is in preparation. I asked him for a supporting role, but it won't be available in a short time."
Du Feng immediately thanked him profusely, "It's okay, it's okay, this is better."
Lin Chaoyang could roughly understand what he meant by "better". As expected, women were in the best school for men. After experiencing some disappointment in love, his brother-in-law had indeed grown up.
"Brother-in-law, what is that..." Du Feng hesitated.
"What else?"
"Look, no one lives in your yard. Don't be afraid of anything else. Don't be afraid of being empty..."
Lin Chaoyang just watched him calmly making up lies. In the end, Du Feng couldn't make up any more lies. "Hey, brother-in-law, our place is too far away from the city. Sometimes it's not convenient to go back to play. You can borrow some in your yard."
Do I have a room?”
"Should I lend it to you or lend it to you?"
Lin Chaoyang revealed his little thoughts with one word, and Du Feng was a little embarrassed, "Brother-in-law, don't get me wrong, I'm just sleeping."
Perhaps because he felt that he was getting darker and darker, Du Feng said: "Brother-in-law, I don't live in this house for free, leave the cleaning to me. I can just occupy the opposite room on the south side. When uncle and auntie come, I will
Make sure not to disturb them."
How could Lin Chaoyang refuse the security and cleaning services that came to his door?
"I reserve the west wing for entertaining guests. If you want to stay, you can stay there."
"Brother-in-law, you are truly my brother-in-law!" Du Feng hugged Lin Chaoyang happily.
Lin Chaoyang pushed him away, "Let's make a deal first and don't make any mess in my yard."
Du Feng made a promise to Lin Chaoyang and left happily.
Tao Yushu asked: "What's going on?"
Lin Chaoyang explained Du Feng's request, and said, "Aren't you afraid that he will cause trouble?"
"Are you still worried about your brother? Besides, it's really not good for this yard to be empty. It's somewhat popular if someone lives in it. He can also help clean the yard."
Tao Yushu joked: "You think well."
"Mutual benefit."
A few days later, Lin Chaoyang came home after get off work and saw Zhang Dening sitting in the living room. He thought Zhang Dening was here to urge the manuscript. Unexpectedly, Zhang Dening simply greeted him when he saw him, but said nothing about the manuscript. On the contrary, It was a lively chat with Tao Yushu.
Lin Chaoyang listened carefully and found that the two people were discussing "Furong Town" published in "Contemporary" this month.
According to the normal historical trajectory, "Furong Town" should be published in January this year, but due to the extra variable of Lin Chaoyang, the first issue of "Contemporary" this year became a special issue of "The Death of Van Gogh", "Furong"
Town" has been pushed to May for publication.
When the first draft of this novel was sent to "Contemporary", it immediately attracted the attention of the editorial department and placed high hopes on it.
After being published this month, "Furong Town" quickly aroused strong repercussions in the literary world.
This novel combines the political situation with folk customs. Through the changes of an ancient town in a remote mountainous area, it presents a picture of southern rural society in the tide of the times, and has won praise from many readers.
Tao Yushu has been writing literary reviews in the past few years. Recently, "Furong Town" has become popular. She plans to write a review for this novel, and Zhenghuan discussed it with Zhang Dening.
Seeing how engaged the two were in chatting, Lin Chaoyang went to cook first.
"Chaoyang, let's add another dish tonight!" Zhang Dening suddenly said.
Lin Chaoyang teased: "I've never seen a guest who eats and drinks with as much peace of mind as you."
Zhang Dening didn't bother to argue with Lin Chaoyang, she had already hugged Tao Yushu's lap.
During dinner, she and Tao Yushu were still discussing the novel "Furong Town". Tao Yushu looked at Lin Chaoyang and asked: "Chaoyang, what do you think of this novel?"
"The writing is quite good." Lin Chaoyang said while holding the dish.
Zhang Dening asked: "Just 'pretty good'?"
"'Very good' is not enough? How good should it be?" Lin Chaoyang asked rhetorically.
"Then tell me in detail why it's just 'pretty good' instead of very good?"
Lin Chaoyang pondered and said: "Whether you call it scar literature or reflective literature, in the final analysis its main purpose is still the liquidation of buzz.
There is nothing new in the story structure, it is still conducted in a binary opposition mode.
On one side are Wang Qiushe who adheres to the wrong and absurd line and is extremely dogmatic; on the other side are Hu Yuyin who are honest and live a responsible life but have suffered a lot. At most, they include good D member Gu Yanshan and Qin Shutian who enjoys hardship.
.
It simplifies complex society and life, and treats some characters as stereotypes and buffoons. These are its shortcomings.
Of course, the flaws do not hide the flaws. Generally speaking, the quality of this novel is good, and it is very consistent with the experiences of many people today, reflecting the weirdness and weirdness of that chaotic and absurd era."
Lin Chaoyang's summary was not long, but every sentence was on point. Zhang Dening admired his literary touch and said to Tao Yushu: "This great writer of yours is becoming more and more vicious now."
"He reads more than the average person. It would be great if he writes novels as diligently as he reads them."
Hearing that Tao Yushu was giving him strength in disguise, Lin Chaoyang said: "Reading novels is also a learning process."
"Yes, yes, you are right." Tao Yushu said with a smile.
Zhang Dening asked smoothly: "Hey, how is your novel going?"
"Almost finished!"
"I came here half a month ago, that's what you said."
"Aren't you busy lately?"
Lin Chaoyang wasn't just perfunctory. He had almost finished writing the novel, and he had indeed wasted a lot of time recently because of the affairs in the courtyard.
Zhang Dening urged her a few words but did not continue. Anyway, the novel was now in her possession, and Tao Yushu was also there.
"Chaoyang, our magazine will hold a pen meeting in two months." Zhang Dening said.
"Pen Conference?" Lin Chaoyang subconsciously wanted to refuse. He had asked for a lot of leave this year, and it was not necessary to attend the PEN Conference. "I won't go, I still have to go to work."
"You can take time off from work! It happens to be summer vacation when we hold the pen conference, so you can bring Yushu with you. We plan to hold a pen conference in Qingdao. The environment is very good. You and your wife can go together and treat it as a vacation.
How wonderful!"
“Can I still bring my family members?”
"Others can't, but you can." Zhang Dening said with a smile, with a calculating look on his face.
Lin Chaoyang was wary, "Does your editorial department have such good intentions?"
"Look at what you said! What bad intentions can our editorial office have? The PEN Club is just for sightseeing and it is for the welfare of writers like you."
Lin Chaoyang felt that Zhang Dening had caught him. If she had only invited him, he would have rejected her immediately. Now that she had invited Tao Yushu along with her, it was really hard for Lin Chaoyang to refuse.
"I won't go to the PEN meeting. I don't want to bother with it on a hot day." Tao Yushu said proactively, fearing that Lin Chaoyang would be embarrassed.
But the more she said this, the more Lin Chaoyang couldn't refuse the invitation. Only now did he understand the brilliance of Zhang Dening's move.
"It's okay. Anyway, you will be fine by then, so we can go together. We have been married for several years, and we haven't traveled yet." Lin Chaoyang said softly.
Zhang Dening smiled a little proudly, "That's right! Our editorial department also has such considerations."
Lin Chaoyang glanced at her, bragging that you didn't even make a draft, right?
Tao Yushu asked: "But...is it appropriate for me to go?"
Zhang Dening raised his neck and said, "Why is it inappropriate? You are also the author of our "Yenjing Literature", okay?"
Tao Yushu has been writing literary criticism and also published an article in "Yanjing Literature". It is a bit far-fetched for her to say this, but there is nothing wrong with it.
We are all authors, so it makes sense to participate in a pen meeting, right?
Chapter completed!