After a while, Huang Wanzhen saw Liu Zimo. Thinking of her plan, Huang Wanzhen walked over and took the initiative to talk to him.
"Zimo, I plan to write a novel."
Liu Zimo put down the cup in his hand with a look of surprise, pointed to a chair not far away and said, "Let's go over there and talk."
As soon as he sat down, Liu Zimo couldn't wait to ask, "Is Second Sister Huang going to make a comeback?"
Huang Wanzhen shook her head. "I'm not going to use the pen name Huang Erjie anymore. Previously, I wrote mostly martial arts novels, so the female pen name Huang Erjie didn't really bother me. This time, I want to choose a pen name that's not so gender-specific."
Liu Zimo continued to ask, "Are you not going to write martial arts novels? Martial arts novels are the most popular genre in the market right now."
Huang Wanzhen thought about her trip to Shanghai and said hesitantly, "I want to write a novel about a protagonist who feels talented but underappreciated. I wonder if it will be popular."
Liu Zimo likes the martial arts world created by Huang Wanzhen the most. The protagonists in it are free-thinking, loyal and righteous, and live a life of revenge in the rivers and lakes. It is really desirable. Although he cannot do it in real life, it does not prevent him from enjoying it.
"I don't recommend you write a novel that feels like your talent is not being recognized. Your martial arts novels are so good. If you want to sell well, it's better to continue writing martial arts novels, which is what you are good at."
Huang Wanzhen knew that Liu Zimo was a true fan of her martial arts novels, but she did not write this novel to make money.
"Actually, I didn't write this novel to make money. I was deeply moved by my trip to Shanghai. I wanted to write a novel that advocates for 'good eugenics and good parenting'. In this society, not only women need to wake up, but men also need to wake up. They shouldn't suppress women and force them to live according to their own ideas. They shouldn't put the entire burden of childbearing on women's shoulders. Men should shoulder their responsibilities."
This type of realistic novel has a small audience, and there are several great writers. In this type of novel, there is a pyramid. Huang Wanzhen did not study literature, and her previous novels also won by plot. When her novels lost their attractive plots and highlights, it was difficult to open up the reader market.
Liu Zimo, who was not optimistic about Huang Wanzhen writing this kind of novel, turned around and met Huang Wanzhen's expectant gaze. The words of advice were instantly stuck in his throat and he could no longer utter them.
After thinking for a while, Liu Zimo cleared his throat and said comfortingly, "You also said that this is not for the sake of making money. If you are willing to write, then write it first and I will help you take a look."
Huang Wanzhen readily agreed. She hadn't been thinking about making money in the first place. In Shanghai, thanks to Zhenzhen, she'd learned about the current state of children. She'd discovered that birth control wasn't practiced in those days. Children from wealthy families died young, and even those from poorer families were even worse off. These tiny lives, lost before they even reached adulthood, made Huang Wanzhen feel awful. She decided she had to write well this time, even if she had to pay for publication.
After returning home and having dinner, Huang Wanzhen immediately washed up and locked herself in the bedroom.
She found a pen and paper from the drawer, spread them out on the table, and began to write the outline of the novel.
In ancient times, there was a rich young man named Zhang Gaobang. He started to study at the age of five and took the imperial examinations at the age of twelve, but he never passed. When he was eighteen, his parents married him off. In three years, his wife gave birth to two children, a son and a daughter.
But when he was 25 years old, Zhang Gaobang didn't even pass the exam to become a scholar. When his parents saw him, they always lamented. He felt that he was not cut out for studying, so he resolutely gave up writing and joined the army.
After three years of training in the training ground, when it came to the archery test, he not only missed the target, but also shot the soldier beating the drum. He was directly kicked out of the training ground by the leader.
Zhang Gaobang returned home in despair. Seeing that he was almost thirty years old but had achieved nothing, his parents took out their family savings and asked him to start a business.
In his first year of business, Zhang Gaobang encountered a con man who ripped him off with his goods. In his second year, he encountered bandits who not only stole his valuable goods but also destroyed all the remaining goods he couldn't take with him. His third year was even worse. While on his way to purchase goods, he encountered bandits who not only lost his goods but also nearly his life.
When he returned home after traveling to many places and begging all the way, he heard that his father had died. His mother saw him coming back like a beggar and asked him what happened. He told her everything about the encounter with bandits. His mother could not bear the blow and died.
After many misfortunes, the family had no money left, but fortunately they still had some land. Zhang Gaobang decided not to go out to make a living and stay at home to farm.
If a hemp rope breaks at its thinnest point, then misfortune will only find the unfortunate person.
In the first year of farming, Zhang Gaobang encountered a severe drought, in the second year he encountered floods, and in the third year he encountered a locust plague. Over the years, not only did he not grow any crops, he also lost a lot of money on seeds.
Zhang Gaobang's family was unable to support themselves. His wife Zhang saw that her eldest son was almost old enough to get married, but he was illiterate and unarmed. Matchmakers were avoiding her house, so she decided to go out and find a job to earn money to find a wife for her son.
Zhang Gaobang felt extremely ashamed. Not only did he beat Zhang, he also wrote poems to insult her. Zhang's son Zhang Dengke watched coldly and never said a word to help his mother.
Zhang Gaobang felt that he was not cut out for farming, so after thinking for a while, he sold his family's land and used the money to learn medicine from a doctor in town. After studying for a few years, he felt that he had made some achievements, so he resigned and returned home to open a clinic.
One day, the son of the village chief came to see a doctor. Zhang Gaobang took his pulse carefully and pondered over the medical prescription seriously. Unexpectedly, the next day the village chief brought people to his house and said that his son had died after taking the prescription he prescribed.
Zhang Gaobang was shocked and immediately knelt down to beg for mercy, but the village chief had no intention of letting him go. He hit him on the back with a wooden stick and demanded ten taels of silver.
Zhang Dengke, hearing the commotion, came out. He was married and pregnant with a son. His mother, Zhang, followed him out, holding their grandson. Zhang Dengke yelled at him, "Go in! You blind old man, you scared the child! Do you have money to pay for his medical treatment?"
Zhang, a thin and small woman with a hunched back, struggled to hold the child. Zhang Dengke glared at her and scolded her, frightened her so much that she almost dropped the child. Zhang Dengke's wife, Xiao Zhang, quickly stepped forward to pick up the child and entered the house. However, Zhang Dengke stepped forward and kicked his mother, Zhang, to the ground. "You old fool! If I hadn't seen that you could still work, I would have thrown you out long ago."
The village chief didn't want to see the Zhang family in such a mess, so he shouted, "Zhang Dengke, pay me!"
Zhang Gaobang, lying on the ground, had a flash of joy on his face. Yes! He still had a son. Although he had accomplished nothing, he still had a son! Today's incident made him realize that he was not good at studying medicine.
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