Chapter 88
On a snowy day, Gu Xi endured the cold and finally finished writing the story of "Comrade Gu's Battle Against Human Traffickers".
This story is short, about five thousand words.
After finishing writing, she looked back at it and felt a little ashamed for some reason. She felt that it was not well written and wondered if it was really worthy of being submitted for publication.
In the evening, the family gathered around a hot pot.
Since the weather got cold, they stopped eating in the main room and moved to the kitchen.
The kitchen is warm from the fire, and you can eat while warming yourself by the fire, which is better than eating in the drafty main room.
Not long after winter began, Gu Xi bought a clay stove at the town market. It could be placed on a table, with charcoal burning inside and a pot on top, so that she could eat hot food without worrying that the food would get cold as soon as it came out of the pot.
This is what everyone loves to eat in winter here.
While eating, Xu Huaisheng asked, "Big sister, have you finished writing your story?"
She now studies with Gu Xi every day. Gu Xi will teach her once first, and then give her questions to do. While she starts doing the questions, Gu Xi writes stories next to her.
The two shared a study, and Xu Huaisheng knew what Gu Xi was doing, as well as that her sister had finally finished writing the story.
Upon hearing this, Shen Mingzheng and Xu Yuansheng both looked over.
Gu Xi, feeling awkward under their gazes, said, "It's finished..."
"Can I take a look?" Xu Huaisheng asked expectantly. She was very interested in the story her older sister wrote. There was no other reason than that it was written by her older sister, and she wanted to support her.
Not only her, but Xu Yuansheng and Shen Mingzheng were also looking forward to reading the stories she wrote.
Judging from Gu Xi's expression, she didn't seem to want to show it to them.
Gu Xi coughed lightly, "Let's not look at it yet. It's not very well written. I plan to take it to Qiao Hui first to see if it's okay to write it this way. If she says it's okay, then I'll show it to you."
Seeing that she said that, the three of them had no choice but to give up.
Because of the cold weather, Gu Xi even reduced her calligraphy practice time by half an hour each evening. Before the time was up, she would crawl into bed and wrap herself in the blanket.
As soon as Shen Mingzheng lay down, Gu Xi snuggled into his arms.
She nestled against his warm body, muttering, "It's been snowing a lot lately, and the weather is getting colder and colder..."
Shen Mingzheng tucked her in and said, "The snow this year is indeed a bit heavy." He was a little worried that such heavy snow could easily cause snow disasters, and the army would have to be dispatched for disaster relief.
However, it's best not to tell her these things for now, so as not to worry her.
Gu Xi asked worriedly, "Will there be a snow disaster?"
In this era, natural disasters and man-made calamities are beyond human control. If there is a snow disaster, the army will definitely go to provide disaster relief, and he may also have to go.
Thinking about this, she couldn't help but worry.
Shen Mingzheng gave a vague reply, then quickly changed the subject, asking, "You really can't let me see the story you wrote? I can give you feedback."
This is a story written by his wife, and he is really looking forward to it.
Gu Xi immediately forgot everything else, shrank further into the blankets, and said somewhat embarrassedly, "This is my first time writing a story, it's really not very good..."
Shen Mingzheng could see her lack of confidence and comforted her, "Actually, whether a story is well-written or not should be judged by the readers. You've read so many books and articles published in newspapers, you're sure to be able to write a good story!"
“You don’t understand.” Gu Xi said with a melancholy look, “Reading a lot doesn’t mean you can write well.”
She lacked self-confidence, felt that her writing was poor and lacked something, and was too embarrassed to show it to them.
Shen Mingzheng chuckled. He always had an inexplicable confidence in her, and said, "I believe you will write very well! And as long as the story in the article is written smoothly, easy to understand, and clearly explained, it will be a good article!"
Gu Xi was comforted by him, but still firmly refused to let him see it.
**
The next day, after breakfast, Gu Xi assigned Xu Huaisheng his homework and then went next door to find Qiao Hui with the story she had written.
Because of the cold weather, Qiao Hui rarely takes her children out; they mostly stay at home.
Upon seeing Gu Xi arrive, she said happily, "Gu Xi, what brings you here today?"
Not only does Qiao Hui dislike going out, but Gu Xi has also been staying home a lot lately. Although they live next door, they haven't seen each other for several days.
Of course, this is also related to Gu Xi's recent seclusion for writing.
Qiao Hui beckoned Gu Xi to come and sit down, and handed her a hot water bottle to warm her hands.
She noticed that Gu Xi had brought something with her, and was a little puzzled when she heard Gu Xi say shyly, "I've been writing a story at home lately, and I've finally finished it. I wanted to ask you to take a look and see if my writing style is okay?"
"Really?" Qiao Hui immediately became expectant.
Gu Xi handed her the manuscript she had brought.
Qiao Hui first looked at the words on it and praised, "Hey, these words are written very well."
Gu Xi was delighted. "I've been practicing calligraphy for the past few months, and I'm so glad I could get to this level. It's all thanks to Commander Shen for teaching me."
Qiao Hui was immediately surprised; it seemed that Commander Shen's handwriting must be quite good.
She quickly became engrossed in looking at it.
Sister Zhu brought over a cup of hot jujube tea to warm Gu Xi up. When she learned that Gu Xi was writing a story, she said with a look of awe, "Comrade Gu can write articles too? That's amazing."
In her eyes, anyone who can write articles is a highly cultured person.
Gu Xi was immediately embarrassed and hurriedly said, "This is my first time writing, I don't know how well it is, it's not good at all."
"Being able to write is impressive," Sister Zhu said with a smile.
She didn't disturb them, but went to watch over the child, who had just drunk milk and was sleeping soundly.
Shortly after, Qiao Hui finished reading it.
Five thousand words isn't a lot, but she read it very carefully, going over each word one by one.
After reading it, her expression was a little strange, which made Gu Xi's heart jump.
"Um, how is it?" Gu Xi asked nervously.
Qiao Hui carefully considered her words, "Well, it's written quite fluently. For your first attempt at writing, it proves you have a talent for writing. But, the word choice is a bit too bold..."
Gu Xi: "..."
Gu Xi looked bewildered. "Bold wording?"
She felt that she hadn't used any bold words or phrases. After all, it was a special era, and people had to be careful with their words and actions. She didn't want anyone to find fault with her. She had carefully considered her writing and made sure it was in line with the thinking of that time, with not a single sentence that was out of place.
Qiao Hui said, "Yes, some of the wording was a bit bold, like the part about the human trafficker having his testicles kicked in the story... cough cough cough, it doesn't need to be described in such detail... no, no, it's fine if you don't write it out..."
As she finished speaking, her face flushed slightly, and she seemed to want to laugh, contorting into a rather strange expression.
Gu Xi immediately understood and said confidently, "Wasn't that to show the miserable fate of human traffickers? That's what the people at the train station police station told me. I accidentally kicked a human trafficker in that spot, and he might be crippled. Isn't that pretty tragic?"
It must be terrible for a man.
Hearing her say that, Qiao Hui finally couldn't help but burst into laughter, which made Sister Zhu look over curiously, somewhat puzzled.
Gu Xi blushed as she was laughed at, scratching her cheek. "Stop laughing, is it really that funny?"
If it's that funny, I guess I'll have to delete this part.
Qiao Hui laughed for a while, and seeing that Gu Xi's face was very red, she comforted her, "Actually, you wrote very well, better than I imagined. It doesn't seem like your first time writing an article at all. Your word choice and sentence structure are very good..." She praised Gu Xi and said approvingly, "It seems that you have read a lot of books."
Gu Xi can admit this without any modesty.
She does read a lot of books. Even if we don't talk about her past life, as a ghost, she can spend sleepless nights browsing the internet, watching various learning videos and reading a lot of articles and novels. This can be considered a kind of intangible accumulation.
Then Qiao Hui pointed out the shortcomings of the article and suggested how Gu Xi should revise it. She also told her about the publisher's selection criteria and how to increase the chances of getting the article accepted.
I really explained it to her in detail, hoping that she could get her manuscript approved smoothly and that she could earn royalties if it was published.
When Qiao Hui learned that Gu Xi had given up her job to Ye Fenghua because she was unwell and unable to work, she felt sorry for her.
So when Gu Xi had the idea of writing, she was very supportive. If Gu Xi could take this writing path and earn royalties, it wouldn't matter if she stayed at home all the time.
Women still need to have a job!
Although Commander Shen is a good man who doesn't mind that his wife doesn't work and will continue to support her, work can make a woman more confident.
She hopes Gu Xi can live with more confidence.
After spending more time with Gu Xi, Qiao Hui realized that Gu Xi lacked confidence in some aspects.
She's so beautiful, skilled in so many things, good at carpentry, and has a great personality. So many people in the residential compound like her, but she's actually insecure and seems to have low self-esteem.
Qiao Hui didn't know what kind of environment caused her to have this inferiority complex.
Gu Xi listened silently, then a look of realization dawned on her face: "So that's how it is, I understand now."
Seeing this, Qiao Hui couldn't help but laugh. She found that Gu Xi's mind worked very quickly, she was indeed very smart, and her memory was also good; she could remember things very quickly.
She has a strong learning ability, which is enviable.
Qiao Hui added, "Also, five thousand words is a bit short. You can expand the story a bit..."
She unfolded the manuscript in her hand and began to speak eloquently, pointing to the text.
When it comes to her major, Qiao Hui is very confident and can speak eloquently, offering Gu Xi a lot of advice.
Gu Xi not only listened, but also took notes in her notebook.
After Qiao Hui finished speaking, she exclaimed, "Qiao Hui, you're amazing! You could be a teacher! Hearing you say that, I already have an idea, and I guarantee I can write an even better second version!"
Qiao Hui said, "This was just my old job, it's nothing."
Compared to her parents, who are researchers, she is relatively slow-witted and did not inherit their intelligence.
Gu Xi then asked, "Qiao Hui, you know so much, have you written any articles and submitted them for publication?"
“Yes, I really do,” Qiao Hui said confidently. “I used to write some essays and stories in my spare time and submit them for publication. But since I got pregnant, I haven’t had the energy to write anything. I guess I’ll start writing again after my child gets older and starts school.”
Gu Xi suddenly realized that apart from feeling inferior about her overly beautiful appearance, Qiao Hui was truly a very confident and perfect woman in other aspects.
No wonder Chief of Staff Gao is so attentive to her. What man wouldn't be attentive to such a perfect wife?
**
After completing her advanced studies with Teacher Qiao, Gu Xi happily returned to write her manuscript.
When she took the second version she had written to Qiao Hui for review, Qiao Hui helped to revise a few unsuitable parts, and the story finally passed the test.
Qiao Hui asked, "Gu Xi, do you have any applications in mind?"
Gu Xi honestly shook her head, "I don't have any ideas for now, I need to take a look first." She had finished writing the story all at once, but she really had no idea which publisher to submit it to.
She thought for a moment and then said, "I have a cousin in Beijing who works at a newspaper. If that doesn't work, I'll call her and ask her to recommend a publishing house."
Qiao Hui said, "If you don't mind, I can recommend you to a publishing house, the one I used to work for." As she said this, a hint of melancholy appeared on her face.
If it weren't for the fact that she had to accompany the military, she wouldn't have wanted to leave the publishing house.
She was used to working at the publishing house, used to the smell of ink and books, used to the environment where she was surrounded by words...
Gu Xi immediately perked up, "Is that okay?"
“Of course,” Qiao Hui said. “Although I’ve left the publishing house, I still keep in touch with them, and I can recommend you there.”
With her help in recommending them, the publisher's editors will treat them with great care.
Of course, she felt that the second version of the story written by Gu Xi after "learning" was not only more fluent and had a stronger story, but also had a certain educational significance, which met the requirements of her previous publishing house and should be able to be published.
Gu Xi decided to give the manuscript to Qiao Hui and ask her to recommend it.
She wasn't the kind of person who was aloof. With an "editor" readily available to help, why would she be foolish enough to refuse?
**
After handing the manuscript to Qiao Hui, Gu Xi put the matter out of her mind.
Since it was her first time writing a story, and she was just testing the waters, she didn't have high hopes for it being published, so she didn't pay much attention to it.
When the Xu sisters learned that she had already given the manuscript to Qiao Hui and sent it out, their faces fell.
"Didn't you say that after Sister Qiao saw it, we would see it too?"
"Big sister is lying!"
Faced with her two aggrieved younger sisters, Gu Xi touched her nose. "Ah... well, I forgot." Then she scratched her face. "Actually, I don't have much hope, so I won't show it to you. I'll practice more and write a better story before I show it to you, okay?"
The two younger sisters felt wronged, but that was all they could do.
Shen Mingzheng also didn't see it, which is quite a pity.
He was eager to see what her writing was like, but she hid the manuscript, and no one could actually see it.
However, if the publisher doesn't publish it, the manuscript will likely be rejected, and you'll still be able to see it eventually. Of course, if it is published, that would be even better, as they will send you a sample copy, and you'll still be able to see it then. You just need to wait a little longer.
Not long after the manuscript was sent out, it was already December.
After entering the twelfth lunar month, the Lunar New Year is not far away.
The twelfth lunar month is the coldest time of the year here. Coupled with the previous heavy snow, many places were affected by the disaster. The army successively sent troops out to provide disaster relief. Soon it was Shen Mingzheng's turn. After receiving the notice from his superiors, he left overnight.
Gu Xi couldn't help but worry.
Fortunately, the women in the residential compound were very experienced in this kind of thing. They came over to tell her that this was a common occurrence and that she didn't need to worry.
“In previous years, if the snow was heavy, the army would send troops to provide disaster relief. Although the snow was heavy this year, it was not as heavy as in previous years, so the disaster should not be too serious.”
"Yes, we're used to it, it's nothing."
"..."
Ji Ya also brought her daughter over and said to Gu Xi, "Your brother went to help with disaster relief a few days ago. It's always like this every year. If things go smoothly, he should be back in ten days to half a month. Just wait patiently."
Gu Xi said, "Sister-in-law, I know, I'm not worried."
With so many people comforting her, it wasn't good to voice her concerns openly, lest Xu Yuansheng and the other person also become worried.
Gu Xi changed the subject, "Sister-in-law, the New Year is almost here, and I'm planning to go to town to buy some New Year's goods sometime. Do you want to come with me?"
Ji Ya looked regretful. "I'm afraid I won't be able to go. The hospital is quite busy."
Despite the cold weather, the number of patients in hospitals has increased, leaving doctors with no time for holidays.
Gu Xi knew that doctors were quite busy, so she said, "Then when I go to buy New Year's goods, I'll buy more for you too. By the way, Tuantuan will be on holiday soon, so let her come to my house and play with Huaisheng."
Ji Ya knew that her sister-in-law was kind-hearted and helped take care of Tuantuan, so that she and Lao Gu could go to work with peace of mind.
She smiled and said, "Then I'll have to trouble you."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
