Chapter 52 Fangcao Editorial Department

Hankou Railway Station.

“Uuuuuu——”

The train slowly stopped at the platform, and the roar of steel gradually faded away.

On the platform, gusts of cold wind blew in my face, and the air was filled with a biting chill.

People squeezed out of the train, shoulder to shoulder, and although it was orderly, it seemed chaotic.

Cheng Kaiyan was also among them. When he stepped onto the reinforced concrete platform with a green shoulder bag on his back and his luggage in his hand, a feeling of being down to earth instantly came to his heart, and he felt particularly safe and secure.

The low ceiling at the top of the station cast a heavy shadow. A few lamps were hung here and there, and a circle of green glass shells surrounded the lamps, swaying slightly in the wind in the mist, reflecting a hazy green light and shadow.

call—
Cheng Kaiyan took a deep breath and walked towards the exit.

The temperature in Jiangcheng is hot in summer and very cold in winter.

Although I was wrapped in a thick Type 65 military coat, gloves and scarf, I could still feel the cold wind penetrating my clothes, bringing gusts of cold air cutting my face like a knife.

The cold air mixed with the white breath exhaled by the passengers to form a fine mist that shrouded the station.

“Comrades from other places who come here, please bring your letter of introduction and your ID to register.”

A woman in a black uniform was holding a loudspeaker and shouting at the crowd. Next to her was a small room similar to the security booth in later generations, with the words “Jiangcheng Hotel Introduction” written on it.

Contrary to the stereotype, Jiangcheng is also a heavy industrial city.

There are countless factories and many factories are located here.

There are nationally famous factories like Wuhan Iron and Steel, Jiangcheng Marine Machinery Factory, and Jiangcheng Bristle Factory, so many people come here on business or work.

Even in the second half of this year, designers will come to Jiangcheng to conduct research and visit Wuhan Iron and Steel.

At the exit platform, Cheng Kaiyan saw a sign that read “Jiangcheng Hotel Information Office”.

Nowadays, when people go out, they stay in guesthouses. People need a public letter of introduction to stay in a guesthouse. If they don’t have a letter of introduction, not only will they not be able to stay in a guesthouse, they may even be detained and deported as a “blind migrant”.

Many people on business trips lined up at the introduction office, holding their letters of introduction for the staff to check.

However, you cannot choose which guesthouse to stay in. After inspection, the staff will hand you a list with the name of the guesthouse on it.

Only with the letter of introduction and this list can you go to the designated place to stay.

……

The letter that Cheng Kaiyan sent to the Fangcao Editorial Department was naturally assigned to the Fangcao Editorial Department.

seven in the morning.

Cheng Kaiyan followed the crowd out of the station. The fresh morning air and the warm, thin sunlight fell on his face, and his cold body finally warmed up a little.

After taking a train for a whole day and a night, I finally arrived at Hankou Railway Station in Jiangcheng this morning.

“It’s quite a difference.”

Cheng Kaiyan took in the scene in front of the train station square. This train station was built more than a hundred years ago in a typical European Renaissance style.

It is located in the downtown area of ​​the city, and it is both convenient and inconvenient for the Beijing-Guangzhou railway to pass through the city.

Some people jokingly say that only those who live near the Beijing-Hankou Railway are true Jiangcheng people, and the rest are outsiders.

The new Hankou Railway Station, located in Jinjiadun, did not start construction until 1989. The Dazhimen Railway Station will also be preserved as a memorial building.

I called a rickshaw in the morning and went to the address on the letter.

Half an hour later, we finally arrived at the Fangcao editorial office.

“Ten cents, sir.”

“for you.”

……

The entrance of Fangcao editorial department.

“Hello comrade! I’m looking for editor Chen Shanshan. I’m here to revise the manuscript. Here are my ID and letter of introduction.”

Cheng Kaiyan lay on the window of the small house at the door and shouted to the old comrade who was sleeping inside.

“Ah? What did you say?”

The old man asked with a confused look on his face, and seemed to be a little hard of hearing.

“Okay, take a break.”

Cheng Kaiyan waved her hand, picked up her luggage, and found a place to sit down.

I looked at the exquisite ladies’ watch on my hand. It was already 7:30 in the morning and the editorial department was not open yet.

This watch belongs to her aunt. When she left, Jiang Ting lent her ladies’ watch to Cheng Kaiyan, because it was really inconvenient to go out without a watch.

“Young man, look at your letter of introduction. Where are you from?”

After sitting at the door for a while and enjoying the breeze, the old man in the house woke up and came out. After checking his ID, he took Cheng Kaiyan into the house and poured him a cup of hot tea.

Cheng Kaiyan sat on a stool leaning against the wooden door, enjoying the hot air, holding a book and quietly waiting for work time.

The old security guard beside him looked at him and nodded, “He is indeed a cultured man.”

At half past eight, Cheng Kaiyan’s stomach was growling with hunger when a middle-aged man in his forties suddenly came in.

“Editor-in-Chief Yang, this young man is here to revise the manuscript. Please take a look at him and make some arrangements.”

The security guard stuck his head out of the window and said.

“Okay, Uncle Chen, you go ahead and do your work. I’ll be right here.”

Yang Shuan nodded, not surprised.

Jiangcheng Literature and Art is quite famous. Although it cannot radiate across the whole country, it is among the top two in Hubei Province. Basically, someone comes to the editorial department to revise the manuscripts every once in a while.

I’m just curious why this young man came so early. Could he have just got off the train?
Looking up, I saw a young man with red lips, white teeth, tall stature, and wearing a Type 65 military coat. His tall and straight back was leaning against the door frame, and he exuded a heroic and elegant air.

Looking down, a book with no visible cover is placed on the young man’s legs. His slender white fingers gently twist the pages of the book. At this time, a broken ray of light passes through the glass window of the guard room and quietly falls on the profile of the young man. His amber eyes seem to be glowing, and white mist comes out of the teacup, covering his face and adding a touch of mystery.

Yang Shu’an’s breath was held in his hand. Even a man in his forties like him couldn’t help but admire in his heart, what a handsome young man!

“Little comrade, little comrade, where are you from?”

Yang Shuan first looked at the reflection of the glass window, adjusted his hair and collar, then walked closer to Cheng Kaiyan and asked in a gentle voice.

Cheng Kaiyan heard the noise, raised her head and said with a smile: “You are the editor-in-chief, right? I’m from the capital.”

Beijing?

When Yang Shuan heard this answer, an idea came to his mind.

Could it be…

“Could you be Cheng Kaiyan?” he asked in surprise.

“Yes, you know me? I’m Cheng Kaiyan, and I’m looking for Chen Shanshan to edit me.”

Cheng Kaiyan put down the book, stood up and answered.

It seems impolite to talk to people while sitting.

Judging from the words of this editor-in-chief, it seems that he knows me?
I guess you have also seen “Fragrant Grass”?
“Tsk… It’s incredible. I thought you were an old author who was about my age. Sorry, I’m Yang Shu’an, the deputy editor-in-chief of Fangcao. Nice to meet you, Teacher Xiao Cheng.”

Yang Shuan took a deep breath and thought to himself that this was indeed the case. Although the age of the young man in front of him was indeed quite different from what he had imagined, this was the fact.

He is an old hand and naturally would not look down on Cheng Kaiyan because of his age, not to mention that he is the author of “Fragrant Grass”.

You should know that the editorial department has been studying this novel for many days and is planning to make it the main work for February. Some editors even shouted slogans to advertise “Fang Cao”!
We must make “Fragrant Grass” famous in one fell swoop!

“It’s my honor. Teacher Yang is so polite.”

After hearing these words from Teacher Cheng, Cheng Kaiyan felt really comfortable and couldn’t stop laughing.

What a pity!

I, Cheng Kaiyan, am finally a teacher!
Ji Qinglan and other students don’t count, this guy is the editor-in-chief!

Um…huh?

Why is she the same as Lin Xiaohong?

“When did Teacher Xiao Cheng come? It was so fast. It must have been sent a few days ago, right?”

Yang Shuan suppressed the desire to discuss the work “Fragrant Grass” and started chatting with Cheng Kaiyan while standing at the door of the guard room.

After all, Teacher Cheng has come all the way here by train, so the right thing to do is to ask about his well-being.

“Just arrived. I bought the ticket right away after receiving your letter. After all, it’s almost the Spring Festival, so the sooner this matter is dealt with, the better, right, Mr. Yang?”

“Yes, I will take Teacher Xiao Cheng to where we are staying first. Teacher Xiao Cheng may not know that the standard of our guesthouse is quite high! Xiao Cheng is so lucky.”

Yang Shuan nodded and took Cheng Kaiyan to a dormitory building in the compound.

It is called a guesthouse, but in fact it is the dormitory inside their Fangcao editorial department.

Single room with big bed, very nice.

Food and drink are provided by the editorial department’s canteen. If you are not used to it, Jiefang Avenue is not far away and there are many state-owned restaurants outside.

After putting the luggage away, it was already time for work, so Yang Shuan took Cheng Kaiyan to the editorial department.

“Comrades, let me introduce this to you. This is the new author who came to our editorial department to revise the manuscript. Can you guess who this is?”

Yang Shuan introduced it to everyone with a mysterious smile on his face.

I have written almost 8,000 words today. Please praise me… Hehe

I also realized that some chapters were not detailed enough, and I will pay attention to this in the future.



(End of this chapter)