Chapter 452 Visiting the “China Hand”
Fang Minghua took a car to Demi’s home, which is located in the northeast of San Francisco, not far from the famous Pier 39. They are all independent villas with gardens. , beautiful scenery.
Demi’s parents are a middle-aged Caucasian couple in their late fifties. When they saw Fang Minghua coming, they welcomed him warmly.
Of course Fang Minghua did not forget his business. After a brief greeting, the two went to the guest room where Li Li lived on the second floor.
Standing on the balcony, Fang Minghua said: "Lili, you should go back to China."
Li Li did not answer, but asked:
"I know you are a lobbyist, brother-in-law, let me ask you, regardless of other factors, just based on the major I studied and the translation I am currently engaged in Work, do you think it’s better for me to stay in China or in the United States?”
Fang Minghua thought of what Wu Beiling said.
After a moment of silence, he then said: "However, we can't just think about our careers. You also know that your parents really want you to return to China."
"I know, but I have I will definitely come back to visit them during the winter and summer vacations. After they retire and I have a certain financial foundation, I will take my parents over and enjoy their retirement years!”
Fang Minghua fell into silence again.
Li Li turned her head, looked at the blue sea in the distance, and continued: "Brother-in-law, you can understand me. In addition to teaching in San Francisco, I stayed in San Francisco to translate the novels written by You. Translation Okay, then find a publisher to publish it! If it can win an award like "Crossing Guandong", I will be happiest."
At this point, Li Likai smiled sweetly.
Fang Minghua looked at Li Li, took out a check from his pocket and handed it to Li Li.
“This one hundred thousand US dollars is for you.”
"Give it to me? I don't want it!" Li Li subconsciously refused.
“Take it!” Fang Minghua couldn’t help but put the check into the girl’s hand: “All my savings in the United States were spent on stocks, and I only have this hundred thousand yuan left. I’ll give it all to you. This is for you. Reward, this time "Crossing Guandong" won the award, and you contributed a lot as a translator."
"But is it too much? You only got ten thousand US dollars."
"No. This is my and Tangtang’s blessing for you to start a new life. I don’t know if it will be enough to buy a house or a car. Since cars are very cheap in the United States, you have to live here. Be comfortable and happy, so as not to make your parents miss you.”
“But.”
"Okay, let's not talk about this." Fang Minghua changed the subject: "When are you going back now? You have to go back this holiday, right?"
"I will go to the school to sign a formal contract the day after tomorrow, and I am expected to return next week. "Li Li replied.
"Okay, I'm leaving, going to Los Angeles."
"What time is the flight tomorrow?"
"Eight o'clock in the evening."
"Then why are you in a hurry? Go to Los Angeles tomorrow. I will take you to see Professor Gal Haowen in the evening. He is a China expert! And her wife is also a Chinese."
Ghaowen?
Fang Minghua also wanted to meet this famous sinologist, so he agreed.
In the evening, Demi's parents warmly entertained Fang Minghua with a sumptuous Western meal. Only then did Fang Minghua learn that Demi's father was a history professor at San Francisco State University and her mother was an executive of a local company.
Like Li Li, Demi studied comparative literature, but instead of teaching in a college like Li Li, she applied for a job at ChronicleBooks Publishing House in San Francisco.
ChronicleBooks is an American adult and children's book publishing company headquartered in San Francisco. Founded in 1967, it is quite influential in the western United States.
After dinner, Li Li contacted Gal Haowen, who teaches at San Francisco State University, and he welcomed them to his home.
So, Fang Minghua followed Li Li and left Demi's house to go to Ge Haowen's residence.
Grandfather lived in an apartment not far from the State University, which was also an independent building. Fang Minghua met this legendary American for the first time. Galhoven is less than fifty years old this year. He is wearing a T-shirt and denim shorts, holding a pipe, a felt hat, and a beard that looks like a Western cowboy.
"Welcome, friends from China." Gal Haowen spoke popular Chinese, but the emphasis was a bit like the Taiwanese accent on TV.
“Coffee or tea?” Gal Haowen greeted warmly.
“Tea.” Fang Minghua said.
"Lili, I know you like drinking coffee." Gal Haowen said.
"Thank you." Li Li smiled sweetly.
At this time, an oriental middle-aged woman came out, carrying a plate with a cup of tea and a cup of coffee on it.
"Mr. Fang, I would like to introduce you to you. This is my wife, Lin Lijun. She is Chinese like you, from Taipei. Like Lili, she has a PhD in Comparative Literature. She is at the University of California, Berkeley. Teaching, her main research direction is modern and contemporary Chinese literature and culture. She is my good wife! "
"Hello, Professor Lin," Fang Minghua said.
"Mr. Fang, congratulations, your novel won the National Book Critics Circle Award." Lin Lijun congratulated.
“Thank you, thanks to Li Li’s translation.”
"Li Li is simply a genius in translation!" Ge Haowen praised Li Li full of praise: "I read the book "Crossing the Guandong" she translated, and I feel ashamed."
"Professor Ge, you are so grateful. "It's not as good as your translation of Xiao Hong's "The Story of Hulan River"!" She said with a blush on her face.
"Haha, I like Xiao Hong's works very much." Ge Haowen said with a smile: "Over the years, I have successively translated Xiao Hong's "The Story of Hulan River", "The Field of Life and Death", "Mabele" and other works. However, I now want to translate this novel written by a young writer from your country. Wait a moment.”
After speaking, Gal Haowen walked into his study room and within a few minutes took out a magazine and placed it in front of Fang Minghua. .
Holy shit!
This damn thing is so familiar, it's actually "Yanhe"!
Why does he have this magazine?
Fang Minghua’s eyes immediately looked at Li Li.
Li Li understood what he meant and hurriedly explained: "Brother-in-law, I didn't give it to you. Professor Ge said it was sent to him by one of his friends in China."
"I am the only one who sent it to him." My friend’s name is Mark Meng, and he is now a visiting scholar at your university, Yantai University. He was the former director of the Department of East Asia at the University of Kansas. His research areas include Ming and Qing novels, male and female character types in Chinese literature, pornographic literature, opium smoking and modern subjectivity, Literary and psychoanalytic theory, concubines and institutions of past dynasties, etc."
Ge Haowen spoke eloquently, and Fang Minghua was dumbfounded.
Nima’s.
What are you studying?
"Mr. Fang, I plan to translate this novel into English!" Ge Haowen pointed to one of the novels in the magazine and said.
Fang Minghua took a look and saw that it was Mo Yan's "Red Sorghum"!
"This novel is really well written, and I heard that the film adapted from it won the Golden Bear Award at this year's Berlin Film Festival! It is natural that such an excellent novel should be seen by American readers!"
Okay< br>
Mo Yan, you can make a fortune.
Fang Minghua thought silently in his heart.
"Mr. Fang, I heard from Lili that you are the editor-in-chief of this magazine. Can you help me contact Mr. Mo Yan and agree with me to translate it into English and publish it?"
"No problem." Fang Minghua agreed happily.
(End of this chapter)