Chapter 495 Goodbye, Utopia
After a while, Shu Bin suddenly raised his head and looked at Fang Minghua and asked:
“Chairman Fang, you are entrusted by Mr. Zhao, do you have full authority? Call the shots?"
"Of course." Fang Minghua smiled: "Because this Shengshi Book is a joint venture between me and Zhao Hongjun."
That's it!
Shu Bin suddenly realized.
"Okay, Chairman Fang." Shu Bin said and suddenly picked up the briefcase beside him, took out a book and handed it to Fang Minghua.
""The Analects of Confucius"? By Nan Huaijin?" Fang Minghua couldn't help but asked when he saw the cover of this traditional Chinese book: "This book seems to have not been published in mainland China, right? You bought it from Xiangjiang ?”
“When I was a graduate student at Xiangtan University, I had a classmate named Stephen who came to study from the United States. Through him, I met Mr. Nan Huaijin who lives in Xiangjiang last year.”
Shu Bin explained: "What I want to ask now is, Chairman Fang, do you think this book can be published in the mainland?"
Fang Minghua smiled and did not answer directly but asked: "What about you, what do you think?"
"I think it is okay. This is a lecture on "The Analects of Confucius", but it is not difficult but interesting. , embodying the essence and value of Chinese culture. This type of book is almost blank in the domestic market. It is estimated that readers will like it and have a certain sales volume. "
"Of course, from another perspective, there are no such books in China, so I am not sure about the sales. Most of the popular books in China are Western ones, such as Bacon's "Talk about the Road". "Reading" Plato's "Utopia" and the like, but this type of book is already saturated."
After Shu Bin finished speaking, he looked at the other party with bright eyes.
Fang Minghua didn't rush, picked up the wine glass and took a sip before saying: "If you hold the position of manager, you can publish."
"Really?!"
"Yes, I can have the final say on this matter!"
"Okay! I'll do it!"
"Okay, come on, Let’s have a drink and have a good cooperation!”
“Happy cooperation!”
The two raised their glasses.
Shu Bin decided to join Shengshi Books, and his words were obviously proactive. He said: "Chairman Fang, we are about to enter the 1990s. I predict that with the development of economy and technology, readers' tastes will change. It’s not just limited to literary novels, the published books must also cater to this change and expand their horizons.”
“For example, this book by Nan Huaijin?” Fang Minghua said.
“Yes, traditional Chinese studies is one category, and the other should be economics, finance, and emerging technologies such as the computer field, etc. Of course, it is not a professional book but a popular science thing, which readers will definitely be interested in.”
"It makes sense. There is a girl named Dai Jiali in the Haikou company. She graduated from Yanjing Foreign College and is now the director of the company's office. Her thoughts are very similar to yours."
"Really? I'll talk to her later."
At this dinner, the two of them had a great time chatting.
Of course, this is only a preliminary agreement. As for Shu Bin’s treatment after coming over, as well as the adjustment of the relationship between the two Shengshi Books in Haikou and Xijing, we need to discuss it in detail later.
However, Fang Minghua didn't want to participate in this and persuaded Shu Bin to join. His goal had been achieved, and the rest was what Zhao Hongjun, the general manager, had to consider.
In the hotel that night, Fang Minghua called Zhao Hongjun and Song Tangtang respectively to briefly explain the situation here.
"Red Army, Shu Bin has agreed. The rest is your business. I will be back tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. Come and have a good talk with him. He is a very thoughtful person."
"Why? Don't you want to continue talking to him?"
"You are the general manager, I am not." Fang Minghua replied lazily.
Fang Minghua really wants to rush back. He has only written more than half of the first draft of "Skywalker" and needs to speed up the progress.
But before leaving Haikou, Fang Minghua wanted to meet someone.
Han Shaogong.
"Hainan Chronicle" was shut down, and most of the editorial staff returned to their hometowns. Han Shaogong stayed and helped organize the Qiong Province Writers' Association.
On the third floor of the three-story building behind the provincial government compound, Fang Minghua found Han Shaogong. "Chairman Fang, why are you here in Haikou?" Han Shaogong was surprised to see Fang Minghua.
“I’ve finished some personal matters, so I came to see you.”
"Come, sit down, sit down." Han Shaogong greeted hurriedly: "It's quite messy and the conditions are difficult, don't laugh."
The conditions are indeed very difficult. In an office with only a dozen square meters, there are many things on the table and chairs. , there are even various materials piled on the ground.
Han Shaogong still brought him a chair from next door and poured him another cup of tea.
“How are the preparations of your Writers Association going?” Fang Minghua asked with concern.
“We are working hard to make preparations. It is estimated that it will be officially listed next year. You will be invited to attend our listing ceremony then.”
"Okay." Fang Minghua agreed happily.
The two chatted for a while, and Fang Minghua asked tentatively: "Chairman Han, I saw at the street newsstand that the "Hainan Chronicle" you published has ceased publication?"
"Yes. , I have to listen to the above meaning."
Han Shaogong's tone was somewhat regretful.
"Actually, it's okay to put it down and take a good rest for a while. Running a magazine is very tiring, especially for people like you." Fang Minghua comforted. "I also resigned from my position as editor-in-chief of "Yanhe" magazine."
Hearing the news, Han Shaogong was a little surprised.
"You are no longer the editor-in-chief? Isn't "Yanhe" very popular?"
"Tired, physically tired and mentally tired, trembling, walking on thin ice, only worried about something happening."
"Yes." Han Shaogong also felt it quite well: "If the domestic environment is slightly disturbed, the literary world will be the first to be unlucky. To be honest, I feel tired too, and I am ready to pick up the pen and write something again."< br>
"However, Chairman Han, I saw that the first issue of "Hainan Record" was quite unique." Fang Minghua added.
Mentioning "Hainan Chronicle", Han Shaogong's mood was obviously high.
"To tell you the truth, in October last year, the first issue of "Hainan Chronicle" was officially published. Do you know the circulation number? 600,000 copies!"
600,000?
This number also surprised Fang Minghua.
When I was the editor-in-chief, the highest circulation of "Yanhe" was only 600,000 copies, which was reached in the first issue.
"We didn't take a penny from the country, but we earned millions in profits, taxes and fixed assets for the country in one year." Speaking of this, Han Shaogong was quite proud.
“It can indeed make money.” Fang Minghua laughed after hearing this.
“Yes, but making too much money may not be a good thing.” Han Shaogong suddenly changed his tone: “More money leads to two directions for people: some people will take money more seriously, and some people will not. All the more reason to see through money.”
“Chairman Han, you belong to the latter group.”
“Well, compared to literature, it seems much simpler. Choosing literature is actually choosing a spirit. Direction, choosing a way of life and attitude - this has nothing to do with whether a person can become a writer or a famous writer. Chairman Fang, are you right? ”
Fang Minghua nodded after hearing this: "However, we are about to enter the 1990s. The writing environment in the 1990s will probably be very different from that in the 1980s."
"Yes. Times are about to change. ” Han Shaogong said with emotion.
Driving back to Wanghailou from the Writers' Association, Fang Minghua thought about the conversation he had just had with Han Shaogong, and also thought about his recent visit to Yinchuan and his contact with Zhang Xianliang.
Both of them are not literati in the traditional sense, and both have a commercial flavor. However, Zhang Xianliang is more thorough and market-oriented, with keen business insights, so he founded the Western Film and Television City and became a generation Literary tycoon.
Han Shaogong has a more utopian character. He refers to the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, the Red May Convention signed by Europeans on the Mayflower ship bound for America, and Sweden’s socialist welfare system, etc., drafted a hodgepodge-style "Hainan Documentary Magazine Convention" that contained communist ideals, capitalist management rules, and gang habits, and founded the "Hainan Documentary" magazine.
But in the coming 1990s, there is no need for these. The tide of market economy is sweeping across all markets.
“The wind is picking up.”
Fang Minghua sighed as he watched the coconut trees on the street begin to sway.
(End of this chapter)