Chapter 851 "The Chinese Gong Trilogy"
"Yes, I received a call from Professor Yu's relatives. Professor Yu Rong's funeral will be at Colma Cemetery No. 5 at two o'clock the day after tomorrow. Can you attend?"
The day after tomorrow.
Already returned to China.
"Okay, I'll participate." Fang Minghua agreed.
I canceled my ticket and returned home two days late to pay homage to this brave woman.
Two days later, Fang Minghua put on a black suit, and Li Li also took leave and drove to Colma.
Colma is a small town in San Mateo County, California, located on the San Francisco Peninsula in the San Francisco Bay Area. San Francisco banned burials 100 years ago in order to save land. Therefore, the deceased are buried here and it is called "Silent Hill"
It rained again that day.
Fang Minghua drove to Colma Cemetery No. 5 and found Professor Yu’s grave. Many people had already arrived, mostly Chinese but also white.
Fang Minghua met Reda Wen and his wife.
A priest began to read the eulogy, and everyone held umbrellas and bowed their heads slightly in silence towards the tombstone.
The ceremony was solemn and simple. After the pastor finished reading the eulogy, he laid white flowers in front of the tombstone and then left one after another.
Fang Minghua and Reda Wen walked together.
Radar told him in a low voice that the murderer of the New York shooting had been captured. He was a white young man in his twenties from Texas.
This person is a fanatical white supremacist who is extremely hostile to Asian minorities, especially the Chinese. He was very dissatisfied with the movement launched by Yu Yongyifang to affirm the contribution of Chinese workers in American history, so he committed this shooting.
"In fact, the California local assembly has voted to pass a bill recognizing the historical contributions of Chinese laborers, and plans to revise the content of history textbooks in middle schools in the state next year. The movement has achieved an initial victory, but it is a pity that Yu Rong did not see this day."
Radarwen said with a final sigh.
Fang Minghua felt very sorry after hearing this.
On the way back to San Francisco, Fang Minghua was thinking about these things while driving.
From a certain perspective, Yu Yifang died to rectify the contribution of Chinese laborers in American history.
This descendant of Chinese laborers, her ancestors contributed their lives to the prosperity of the United States but were not recognized by the authorities. She fought hard and shouted for the glory of her ancestors, but she died at the hands of prejudiced people.
Fang Minghua felt that he needed to write something more, in order to commemorate this great woman and present this period of history again.
When he told Li Li this idea, Li Li immediately agreed: "Okay, if you write another novel, together with the previous ones, it can be called "The Chinese Gong Trilogy". How do you plan to write it?"
"I haven't thought about it yet."
"I think you can use Yu Rong Yifang's vision and write it in the first person."
"Use first person?"
"Yes, your works "The Road Spike" and "Angel and Alcatraz" are actually about the plight and unfair treatment suffered by the first generation of Chinese immigrants in the United States." Li Li talked eloquently.
"Yu Yifang is a descendant of Chinese workers in the United States. She has good knowledge and a certain social status. These are obtained based on the hard work of her ancestors. Her age has experienced the implementation and repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act in the United States. After World War II, when China and the United States jointly fought against Japanese militarism, as well as the anti-China movement in the United States after World War II, and in the 1980s, they campaigned for the historical contribution of the Chinese workers to be renamed. These are all very good materials. ”
"If you like, you can extend the timeline to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when the Chinese Exclusion Act was at its most stringent. I find it very interesting to write it through the first-person perspective of a woman growing up. .”
Isn't this a bit like the narrative style of "Old Things in the South of the City" and Yu Hua's "Alive"?
Fang Minghua thinks this idea is quite good.
"Okay, I will think about it according to your ideas." Fang Minghua said.
"Then if you want to write this new novel, will you not return to China?" Li Li suddenly asked. ah? this?
Are you giving me these suggestions to save me?
Fang Minghua didn't know what to say for a moment.
"I'm kidding you. My cousin doesn't say anything, but she must be hoping that you can go back soon. How can I keep occupying you?" Li Li giggled: "When you go back, if you need information in this regard, you can send me an email. I’ll help you find it.”
"Okay, thank you."
"Why are you being polite to me? You earn a lot of money and many people envy you, but I hope you can write more works!"
On August 20, Fang Minghua finally returned to Xijing with his son Fang Le.
Sitting on the airport bus into the city, Fang Minghua looked at the scenery outside.
I haven’t been back for more than a year. This ancient city has not changed much. The mutton soup and spicy soup restaurants on the street are very tempting.
When they got home, Song Tangtang hadn't gotten off work yet, and what greeted them was the nanny and an old German shepherd bean sprout.
Doumiao is already very old. I heard from Song Tangtang that he just lays in the doghouse to bask in the sun every day. When he saw his owner come back today, he stood up and wagged his tail.
Fang Minghua touched Doumiao's head and suddenly felt a little sad.
All old.
Fortunately, there was a sudden meow, and the civet cat Douya, which rarely went home in the past, suddenly appeared in the yard and barked at Fang Minghua.
The bean sprouts and bean sprouts were brought here after Fang Minghua's family moved into this small courtyard. The bean sprouts were already dying, but the bean sprouts still looked lively and vigorous.
As if to welcome its owner home, Douya barked twice and disappeared into the flowers.
The babysitter took the trolley case from Fang Minghua's hand very attentively. His son couldn't wait to go back to his room and took out the Sony PlayStation 2 newly bought in the United States to play "Final Fantasy 10" while Fang Minghua stood in the small yard and looked at it.
There is almost no change from before I left. There are a lot of flowers and plants, and there are a few sunflowers planted in the corners, and the flowers are in full bloom.
Compared with several manors in the United States, the environment and conditions here are obviously not as good as the former, but Fang Minghua feels inexplicably happy.
This is your true home.
At this moment, the sound of a car was heard outside, and within a few minutes, Song Tangtang was seen walking out from the back of the garage.
Wearing a gray OL skirt, she is smart and charming.
Fang Minghua smiled and opened his arms.
"Hey. After staying in the United States for more than a year, are you as enthusiastic and unrestrained as foreigners?" Song Tangtang said with a sweet smile.
But he still hugged Fang Minghua.
"Okay, okay, don't let your son see it." Song Tangtang said angrily.
Fang Minghua let go and the two of them returned to the living room together.
In the evening, there was fried noodles, specially prepared for Fang Minghua. He ate so deliciously, of course he told Song Tangtang what happened in San Francisco while eating.
"Are you going to write a novel at home?" Song Tangtang asked.
"Yes, follow Lili's prompts and think about it carefully." Fang Minghua said.
"Don't worry yet, read a script for me."
After eating, the two went upstairs to the study. Song Tangtang took out a thick stack from his briefcase, and Fang Minghua took it and read the titles.
It's "The Promise" by Chen Kaige!
(End of chapter)