Hearing Sai Mui say that someone from Oriental Daily News called, Huo Yaowen subconsciously glanced at the mechanical watch on his wrist, saw that it was almost past one in the afternoon, and quickly said, "Then I'm going out for a bit. Tell Mother that I might not be back for dinner tonight; you all eat first."
"Got it," Huo Tingting nodded in response.
While Huo Yaowen was still hastily taking off his somewhat sweaty shirt to change into a new one, Huo Tingting, who was beside him, suddenly thought of something and said, "Ah Ge, did your submission succeed? Also, why have I never heard of this Oriental Daily News? It's not some third-rate tabloid, is it?"
Huo Yaowen, buttoning his shirt, said, "It's not that famous, but with my manuscript, this newspaper will quickly become popular."
"Become popular? Catch fire?" Huo Tingting tilted her small head, completely confused about what 'become popular' meant.
"It means it will quickly gain fame."
It must be said that sometimes when talking to people, Huo Yaowen would always subconsciously use words that were not understood in this era. There was no way around it; after all, these internet terms from later generations had basically become common words for the general public.
"Oh." Huo Tingting didn't pay much attention to why fame could be linked to 'catching fire.' She nodded lightly, glanced at Ah Ge's retreating back, and quickly stepped forward, saying, "Don't move, Ah Ge, there's a thread on your back. I'll cut it for you."
Hearing this, Huo Yaowen stopped, "Mm."
Huo Tingting ran to her room, took out a small golden pair of scissors from Grandma's embroidery box, ran back, and looking at Huo Yaowen, who was about a head and a half taller than her, she deflated and said, "Ah Ge, squat down a bit, I can't reach."
Huo Yaowen, while squatting, said, "Got it, cut it quickly."
"You're rushing me to death, why are you in such a hurry?" Huo Tingting grumbled, straightening the thread, and with the sharp golden small scissors, she heard a "snip," and the thread fell to the ground.
"Is it done?"
"Done, done, go, go, you're so annoying, always in such a rush."
Huo Tingting waved her hand, indicating it was finished.
Huo Yaowen also quickly opened the anti-theft door, and as soon as he stepped out, he suddenly remembered the few hundred words he had just written. He turned back and said to Sai Mui, "Please put away the manuscript on the table for me. Don't lose it; I don't want to rewrite it."
"Got it."
As soon as he finished speaking, Huo Yaowen closed the door and left.
Huo Tingting quickly went to the table, put down the small golden scissors, and picked up the manuscript her Ah Ge had written. At the top of a faded letter paper, three large characters read "comrades: almost a love story."
Huo Tingting found the title strange and read on.
"Preface:
comrades: almost a love story,
How sweet your smile is
Like flowers blooming in the spring breeze,
Blooming in the spring breeze
Where,
Where have I seen you
Your smile is so familiar,
I can't recall at once
Ah,
In a dream
In a dream,
In a dream I saw you…"
"In the spring of 1950, Huo Zai Nian sold all his family property and bought a boat ticket to Hong Kong. This was the last ticket that could be purchased without a travel certificate approved by the British Hong Kong Government.
Standing at the bow of the ship, looking out at Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour, Huo Zai Nian's mood was complex. This journey, leaving his hometown, was not only at the invitation of a friend to start a newspaper together, but more importantly, it was to find his fiancée, who had come to Hong Kong with her father two years ago…"
There were only a little over five hundred words on the letter paper, but it had already introduced the male and female protagonists, and also explained the era and background. Huo Tingting often read romance novels, so she read quickly. After finishing, she only felt it was uninteresting, completely lacking the delicate and moving descriptions found in Qiong Yao's books. She also sighed slightly, "It looks like Ah Ge won't get first place. Writing romance really isn't suitable for him."
If Huo Yaowen had heard Huo Tingting's lament about his unsuitability for writing romance novels, he would have surely been furious. Although he hadn't read many romance novels, he had watched so many romance movies and TV shows that he naturally knew how to make a romance novel as heart-wrenching as possible.
This original version of "comrades: almost a love story" was adapted and originally created by Huo Yaowen based on the movie "comrades: almost a love story" filmed by Leon Lai and Maggie Cheung in later generations. Apart from some love triangle relationships, it was basically written by Huo Yaowen based on his constructed 1950s background.
He wouldn't dare say how good it was, but in Huo Yaowen's mind, this book's readability and heart-wrenching quality definitely far surpassed some current romance novels. Referencing the three major tropes of later Korean dramas, it would absolutely make the tears stream uncontrollably from the eyes of young, pure, and innocent girls of today!
...
More than an hour later.
Huo Yaowen hurriedly got off the bus and rushed to Oriental Daily News at 372 Guizhou Street.
As soon as he arrived outside the main entrance of Oriental Daily News, Huo Yaowen was surprised to find that it had completely changed. When he came yesterday, there were only five or six people in the outer office area. Now, not only were there suddenly more than a dozen, but also many more office desks, typewriters, and telephones had been added.
From time to time, someone would call with a "ding-a-ling," and the operator would answer the phone.
An employee passing by happened to see Huo Yaowen walk in and subconsciously stepped forward to ask, "Sir, who are you looking for?"
Huo Yaowen said, "Oh, it's like this: yesterday I came to submit a manuscript, and just now, an employee from your newspaper called me and asked me to come over this afternoon."
The employee had only started today and wasn't very clear about these matters, so he directly said, "Then wait a moment, I'll go inside and ask."
At this moment, a middle-aged man walked out from an office desk inside. He went straight to Huo Yaowen and the employee, patted the employee's shoulder, and said, "Ah Cheng, I'll take care of Mr. Huo."
"Yes, Chief Editor Li." The employee, called Ah Cheng, seeing that it was Chief Editor Li's guest, turned and left to attend to his own work.
Before Huo Yaowen could speak, Chief Editor Li extended his hand with a smile and said, "Mr. Huo, my name is Li Daoguang, and I am the Chief Editor of this newspaper. It was my idea to have an employee call you over."
"Hello, Chief Editor Li." Huo Yaowen smiled and shook hands with the other party.
Huo Yaowen was still very surprised. Yesterday, the entire Oriental Daily, apart from a few ordinary employees handling miscellaneous tasks, only had Boss Ma Rulong.
He hadn't expected that in just a single day, they had even found a Chief Editor. He had to admit their efficiency was truly fast.
And looking at Chief Editor Li, Ma Rulong must have entrusted him with handling his manuscript.
"Boss Ma originally wanted to stay and meet you, but he didn't know when you would arrive, so he had to leave earlier."
Huo Yaowen smiled indifferently and said, "No problem, Chief Editor Ma is busy with affairs, I understand."
Chief Editor Li spread his hand, pointed inside, and said with a smile, "Then, Mr. Huo, let's go inside and talk. The main reason I asked you to come over this time is to discuss your 'ghost blows out the light - Tomb Raiding Notes' book."
"Okay."
Huo Yaowen nodded with a slight smile.