"What is this? A prank? Whatever it is, I'll say first, it has nothing to do with me."

Shi Shuqiu put the note back on the table and spread his hands. His tone was very straightforward and determined.

The expression on Shi Shuqiu's face seemed to be saying, although I'm very happy that you encountered such a thing, I'm sorry, it really has nothing to do with me. If you come to me for this, I'm sorry that I can't help it.

Wang Zixu said: "You misunderstood. I am not saying that this matter is related to you. I am not here to complain."

"Then what's the price you have?"

"Shuqiu, don't be so arrogant, you're not polite at all. Let the guests finish their words." Shi Tonghe frowned.

Shi Shuqiu turned his head and said nothing like a refrigerator suddenly with power outage.

Wang Zixu said: "I'm not here to cry badly, but since that dinner, Mr. Shi and I seem to have had a little misunderstanding."

Shi Tonghe drank tea: "It is impossible to solve the problem without misunderstandings. I have wanted to talk to you for a long time, but I have never found a suitable opportunity. By the way, I read your "Stone Fire" and it is well written."

Shi Tonghe's attitude changed a little abruptly, and Wang Zixu was a little surprised.

"You've been awarded."

"I have read it carefully. It's really good," Shi Tonghe stretched out his finger and pointed it through him. He smiled softly, looking a little kind, "You want to write the Chinese version of "Hundred Years of Solitude".

Wang Zixu has really read it now.

"Actually, I had this idea when I was young. Our country has such a long history, changes so much, and changes so quickly, it is definitely interesting to write a book.

"I started writing a little bit at that time, like playing with mud. The soil is not good and cannot be formed into shape. I didn't write long and long stories with large numbers, but I wrote a lot of short stories.

"Later, when people reached middle age, Marquez's "Hundred Years of Solitude" became popular all over the world, so I went to buy it and read it. The books we bought at that time were different from now. We didn't just search for it, we had to ride a bicycle for more than 20 kilometers to go to the bookstore in the city, and there was only one. Once we went there, the sky became dark and we were covered in loess.

"Before reading "Hundred Years of Solitude", I only read some classical works in Western literature, such as Flaubert and Balzac. The one I read most was revolutionary literature. Reading "Hundred Years of Solitude" was the second impact I suffered."

Shi Tonghe seemed to have completely forgotten the purpose of the two of them coming to visit. He took a sip of tea, with a faint smile on his face, and spoke with relish.

An old man always seems a little dull when he tells about the past, but Wang Zixu still has the patience to listen, and he sits quietly. Shi Tonghe continues to tell his story.

"The first impact was "Les Miserables". When I was young, I only read revolutionary literature and thought that novels all over the world were like that. When I first read "Les Miserables", I realized that novels can be written like this and can be written.

"At that time, my mind was just a little relaxed. Although some of the bookshops were sold, I still had to read books secretly. When I saw "Hundred Years of Solitude" later, I had read a lot of Western classics, but this book still opened my eyes. It turned out that novels could be written like this. This was the second impact. Both impacts changed my understanding of novels."

Wang Zixu asked: "The narrative skills of your book are relatively classical, why didn't you imitate "Hundred Years of Solitude"?"

"What?" Shi Tonghe didn't hear clearly.

Wang Zixu repeated it again, Shi Shuqiu stared straight, and criticized him with his eyes fiercely for being rude - who are you, and you deserve to comment on my dad?

Shi Tonghe said disrespectfully: "It was too late when I saw "Hundred Years of Solitude" and the style had been finalized. I said that I later tried to imitate and wrote some things, but they couldn't be combined, and they were all very scattered.

"My dream is to write a novel that is heavy enough to truly establish my literary status. It is enough to do this thing well in my life. But people are getting older. Now, when I look back, I will gather the things I wrote and integrate them into a collection. It is considered the Chinese version of "Hundred Years of Solitude". Of course, this is just to comfort myself."

Shi Tonghe's tone was slow and firm. Although Wang Zixu could not synesthesize his experience, he could empathize with him. Some ideas between writers and writers were always similar. I wanted to be tough just now, but after hearing what he said, my heart felt a little soft.

No matter what, Shi Tonghe’s literary achievements are difficult to erase, and they stand firmly like a tower.

Shi Tonghe sighed: "So I am quite envious of your generation. With such good conditions, being able to read a large number of works and being able to easily realize their dreams, which I never dared to think of at that time."

Chen Qingluo said: "Every generation has the best that every generation wants to pass. We also envy the freedom of creation in the past. Writing any work is about developing a virgin land that no one has ever entered. Now, we have written everything we want to write, and it is difficult to make a name for ourselves."

Shi Tonghe nodded slowly and said, "Yes."

"It is not easy for Wang Zixu to write this "Fu Fire in the Stone", but it is more difficult than to say it is very hard. The works he created at such a great price are of great significance. I think that even though literati are inferior to each other, they will at most be stingy in praise, so they will not maliciously interfere and act as a stumbling block."

Chen Qingluo was so straightforward that people were scared. Shi Shuqiu stood up and seemed to want to say a few words, but Shi Tonghe waved his hand: "Shuqiu, you go out, I'll talk to them."

"But……"

"You go out."

Shi Shuqiu got up and left, and brought it to the door with all his strength.

"He has a very problematic temperament now and is becoming more and more rebellious. I said it last time. Maybe it was serious. I don't listen to me now." Shi Tonghe's tone became a little impatient.

He turned to Wang Zixu and said, "I only learned about your popularity at Nanjing University when the "Yesterday Star" was held in a seminar. I was a little influenced by his friend. At that time, I left him for three days. Later, he said that he had made up for all the wrong things, so I forgave him."

Shi Tonghe adjusted his posture, leaned on the armrest of the sofa, and said, "Although he is a little impulsive, he is still quite upright and rational. He said that this matter has nothing to do with him, and I believe it has nothing to do with him."

"I also want to believe it has nothing to do with him," Wang Zixu said softly, "What about the "Ancient City"?"

The expression on Shi Tonghe's face froze.

"You introduced the editor of "Ancient City". In order to contribute to "Ancient City", I did not submit the "Yangtze River" with a good relationship, just for your recommendation, but that editor disappointed me."

Shi Tonghe smiled: "Every editor has his own opinion, and I can't interfere with this. And you see, it is precisely because of this passage that "Getting" recorded you in the end? Sai Weng lost his horse."

"That's because I survived it," said Wang Zixu. "If I hadn't survived it, I wouldn't have anything to say about the Chinese version of "Hundred Years of Solitude". My manuscripts may have to be published in underclass magazines in the end."

Shi Tonghe is silent.

After a long time, he said, "What do you mean by telling me this?"

"What I want to know is, did you know before that "Ancient City" will reject my manuscript?"

Wang Zixu stared at him, and Shi Tonghe felt his gaze burning and moved his face away.

"Oh." He sighed deeply.

"Don't get me wrong," said Wang Zixu. "I am a straight man. I just want to know an answer, but there is no other meaning. I want to know whether I am a rough jade or not. This is very important to my future creation."

Wang Zixu said what he said was from the heart.

With his current identity, he can't find a way to take revenge, let alone put pressure on Shi Tonghe. What if he knows?

He just wants one answer.

"Cai Nv Chen," Shi Tonghe suddenly looked at Chen Qingluo, "Do you mind if I talk to him alone?"

Chen Qingluo stood up decisively.

"No, just sit down, I'll talk with him."

Wang Zixu exchanged glances with Chen Qingluo, then followed Shi Tonghe upstairs and entered his study.

Shi Tonghe's study is very large and has a luxurious decoration. The structure is similar to the White House presidential office. There is a very expensive sandalwood table in the middle, and there is a computer desk in the distance, which looks very rarely used.

On the sandalwood table, there were several manuscripts, and there was a fountain pen, ink, and a copy of "Get" magazine. Two drops of ink were dripped on the table, but the ink traces were not dry.

Wang Zixu glanced over and saw the content of the manuscript. Shi Tonghe walked over and covered the manuscript with "Get" magazine.

Wang Zixu looked up at him.

"Xiao Wang, if you want the answer, I will give you. I really didn't care about recommending "Ancient City". Fortunately, the result is good."

"Did you know in advance or don't?"

"I can only say that I really don't care." Shi Tonghe said, "You understand?"

After listening to it, Wang Zixu savored the smell for a long time, and finally looked at Shi Tonghe and shook his head slowly.

"If it were just this sentence, there was no need to pull me upstairs and say it."

"Have anyone said you're too sharp?"

"In the past, everyone treated me as a soft persimmon."

Shi Tonghe sighed and sat down on the leather chair: "I want to discuss other things when I come to you. You are the vice chairman of Xihe's Cultural Association, right? Have you joined the Provincial Cultural Association? Have you joined the National Cultural Association?"

Wang Zixu shook his head.

Shi Tonghe said: "I have a quota in my hand. I can recommend you to the Provincial Cultural Association, and I can also recommend you to the National Cultural Association."

Wang Zixu didn't say anything, he didn't know what Shi Tonghe wanted to do.

"Then, aren't your "Stone Fire" also planning to hold a seminar? I can go over and take charge. I have to speak in person, and my son hasn't enjoyed this treatment.

"The publishing industry has been engaged in cultural overseas projects recently. I happened to be a consultant and I can recommend your works. I can guarantee that your "Stone Fire" will definitely cause a sensation in the global literary world, and even have the opportunity to compete for next year's Mao Dun Literature Award."

Wang Zixu's mouth moved, but he didn't say anything.

The conditions are very attractive.

But in Wang Zixu's life experience over the years, he has never had such a simple good thing hit him. Shi Tonghe's tempting words made him feel alert.

"What am I going to do?"

"You don't have to do anything, it's my compensation for that matter."

"That's how it is."

Shi Tonghe played with the pen for a while and kept looking at him. Wang Zixu stood like a flagpole and stared at him without giving in.

"Then, you haven't submitted your articles for this year's Feishi Literature Award yet?" Shi Tonghe said, "You can wait for one year this year and then submit your articles next year."

"Why?"

Shi Tonghe continued to play with the pen in his hand: "I'll say something sincerely, listen well, you're very likely not to win the prize this year. Because you're serializing, and when you're serializing, it's next year. You can participate again next year, and the competition party can't find out what you are doing."

"Is it because there is a national collection this year?"

Shi Tonghe was stunned, threw away the pen and said, "No matter whether there is or not, you may not win the award this year. If you don't participate this year, it will be nice to everyone. Have I made it clear?"

If this is a transaction, it would be a transaction with very favorable conditions. Of course, Shi Tonghe would definitely not admit that this is a transaction.

Shi Tonghe tried his best to make his tone look patient: "Wang Zixu, I just told you about my youth. Do you know why?"
To be continued...