The book "The Great Gatsby" has been turned very well in China in the 21st century, not only in the literary and artistic circles, but also in the entrepreneurial circles - it may be caused by social transformation.

Even the author, Fitzgerald, is said to be "no less than Hemingway".

To summarize the story of this book in the simplest words: A promising young man named Gatsby's "American Dream", who originally had a bumper harvest in knowledge, knowledge and love, but caught up with World War I, he served as a soldier on the front line for the country, so he missed the opportunity to make war money at home.

After he returned to China, his girlfriend ran away with those speculators who were sneaking and tricking to avoid military service, and Gatsby's temperament changed drastically and began to worship money frantically.

Written in 1925 when Coolidge was in full swing, it was undoubtedly a hit, and by the time Fitzgerald died in 1940, it was not yet popular.

But he had just died, and the United States entered World War II. When the Ministry of Defense selected leisure reading materials for front-line soldiers, it chose this public edition book that does not require royalties. (Fitzgerald had no children to inherit the copyright)

The 12 million American soldiers were resonated with the story that "during the last world war, those who dedicated themselves to the country did not live as well after the war as those who cheated and evaded their obligations", so this book exploded instantly.

Since then, this book has also become a psychological medicine for people in every country in transition of social values, expressing labor pains.

Xiao Sui has been on the battlefield, and he has been enthusiastic during the ten years of indescribable periods. But as soon as he returned, the country completely turned to economic construction, and the dramatic contrast was very violent.

She saw with her own eyes that death was worth 300 yuan, and if she didn't respond to the cheating, maybe it would be a different world, and her heart would naturally resonate, and her creative outlook would be closer to that of the Fitzgeraldists.

It can even be said that she wrote "Fanghua" more than ten years later, and the character in the book who learned to be a pacesetter, went to the battlefield with a broken arm, and was beaten by the joint defense team in the end, doing a small business, is also a copy of this reflection.

This kind of creative concept of wanting to seek truth from facts thoroughly and reflect the real pain in the drastic changes of the times is of course no problem in the 90s, and everyone can understand it.

After entering the new century, the audience, even characters like Li Yunlong, prefer "swear and real".

However, in 1979, Xiao Sui's overly realistic and bloody narrative tendency was obviously out of step with her classmates in Fudan's Chinese Department, too far ahead.

Because she is a heroic reporter who was honorably injured and has been on the front line, everyone is polite to her for the time being.

However, she coldly kept a distance from her creative thoughts. This made her college life in half a semester mentally quite depressed.

At this juncture, Gu Ao, who had helped her half a year ago, appeared again, and the few words of communication immediately made Xiao Sui regain that long-lost sense of intimacy.

It's not because Gu Biao is handsome or has a successful career;

Just because Gu Biao's literary and artistic appreciation tendency is open-minded, Xiao Sui likes it.

Sitting on the plane and watching the scenery after taking off for a while, Xiao Sui quickly fell into a state of talking to Gu Biao without talking about anything, wanting to pour out the incomprehension he had endured in the past two months.

Gu Biao said with empathy an example from his side:

"I understand what you said, and there are such examples around me - my uncle went to Shuzhong to build the third line, and he was the most skilled eighth-level lathe worker in the factory. And now, times have changed, there is no need to worry about war, and the contributions of those who have responded to the call have been forgotten.

It's better to sneak in Qiantang at the beginning, or even prefer to go to the countryside. Nowadays, taking out the land in the countryside to build township enterprises is also more profitable than going to the mountains. ”

Although this example does not involve war and human life, Xiao Sui feels that it is so similar to everything she has experienced in terms of spiritual conflict.

She sighed with affection: "This kind of thing exists in our country, and the United States, which has the attention of capital, is it a tragedy common to all mankind? Are there other countries that have it?"

Gu Biao is from the Foreign Affairs University, and his interpretation of international history is naturally very profound, plus he often read Gao Dasong's "Xiaoshuo" in his previous life, and his knowledge is already wide, so he subconsciously replied:

"What's strange about this, Fitzgerald wrote lightly, after all, the United States is still rich. During the same period of World War I, Britain was much more disgusting than the United States. Qiu Dead Fat has a famous saying: There is no money in wartime.

Therefore, in order to cope with the financial exhaustion, Britain used the means of administrative planning economy to suppress extremely low salaries for front-line soldiers. But the plan can only manage the military, and the rear is still a market economy. Because of the large number of young and middle-aged people who joined the army, there was a shortage of labor, and the wages of workers soared, and the average wages of the sick and disabled labor force in the rear were three times higher than the salary of the front-line soldiers.

So if I had been sitting in Kaiser Wilhelm II, I would have been able to bring down the British with a propaganda war – as long as there was strong propaganda among the British army, the wages of those who evaded military service in the rear were three times higher than if they risked their lives every day, and the British army would have mutinied. It's a pity that Wilhelm II himself was too preferential to the army, so he didn't expect this vision.

During the First World War, Germany was clearly maintaining the welfare of the army, but reducing the rationing of the civilian population at home, because his entire country, both in the front and rear, was planned to be rationed in wartime. Britain and the United States are the bitter soldiers and the rich in the rear, because only the army is planned, and the rear is a market economy.

So the British, for the collapse of propaganda, must count on fanning their front-line armies to mutiny. And if Germany wants to collapse because of propaganda, it must fan the civilians in the rear, even after the fall of the empire, the German army is generally loyal to the emperor. ”

(Note: In World War II, this trick did not work for the United States, and he also used the "Tokyo Rose" to disintegrate the morale of the enemy army, and asked the female voice actor to complain on the radio every day that "you shed blood for the country on the front line, and the capitalists in the rear are sleeping with your women", but at that time, the United States was already too rich, and the front and rear were treated very well, so they could not mutiny.) During World War I, the U.S. military was relatively poor. ）

Xiao Sui listened, was silent for a long time, and then sighed: "I didn't expect it to be so universal, and there is really no romantic dead end, alas." After being dissected by you like this, why do I think that the murderous Germans are quite temperamental?"

"Don't, don't be taken into a baguette, I can't afford it. Gu Biao stopped with a smile,

"I just hope that you will open your mind and don't think that the tragedy you have seen is so tragic that it is actually more regrettable than what you have encountered, which has happened over and over again in history, and has never been new. If you read more, you wouldn't be so sentimental, but as cold-blooded as me. ”

"Forget it, I'll keep the ignorance of the current romanticism. Xiao Sui tilted his head and looked at the sea of clouds outside the porthole, "If one day I become paranoid again because of ignorance, you will be responsible for enlightening me." ”

"Then you still want to rely on me for the rest of your life?" Gu Biao said with a smile.

Xiao Sui's eyes flashed, and he half-jokingly joked: "If you already have someone you like, it doesn't matter." I don't want a good name, anyway, I'll be a confidante for you, and if I can't think about it, I'll ask you for enlightenment. ”

Gu Biao didn't want to continue this topic, so he used the crooked building technique to hypnotize Xiao Sui and let her sleep well on the plane.

Taiwenqing is a disease, and the pursuit of the soul exceeds the interests of fame and social reality.

……

After a two-hour flight, the flight landed at Kai Tak Airport.

Because it was getting late, Gu Biao didn't want to ask for a meeting today, so he took a taxi and took Xiao Sui back to his residence first-that is, the apartment he asked Lin Guodong to rent for him, which was used to put a safe and hide the cultural relics that President Hussein gave him.

The apartment is located in Yau Ma Tei.

For the sake of secrecy, Gu Biao did not give anyone the key after changing the lock, and no one cleaned the apartment. However, there are coverings on the beds, and the covers are used to block the dust, and you can sleep when the covers are removed.

I ate a bowl of wonton noodles in the small shop downstairs, went upstairs and cleaned up a little, Xiao Sui, who had been tired for many days, went to the bathroom to rinse generously, and then slept generously.

This is the first time she has used a shower with a stainless steel rain shower, as well as a bathtub, and the floor is not covered with mosaics, but tiles.

There were two quilts, so there was no talk all night.

After sleeping soundly for more than ten hours, and only woke up at nine o'clock the next day, Xiao Sui felt that the fatigue accumulated for many days was finally swept away.

Gu Biao was not as tired as her, so when she got up, she saw that Gu Biao was already sitting on the balcony drinking black tea.

"How's it going?

Gu Biao took a sip of tea: "I have already reported the situation to China, and the greeting above will not be delayed." Sir Shao made an appointment for tomorrow - the body you are on now is too rustic, not at all like admiring capital to pay attention to the corrupt and depraved life of the world, I will accompany you from head to toe to change your outfit. Since it is a secret work, it is necessary to pay attention to the packaging. ”

Xiao Sui looked at the cheongsam he brought from China, and thought it was beautiful enough, but he didn't expect it to be despised.

She thought for a moment, and asked, half-playfully, half-defiantly, "Have you ever bought clothes for girls?"

"I haven't bought it, but I just understand that we have it in class, and many things don't have to be done in person to know. Gu Biao's-for-tat defense.

However, he didn't realize that although Xiao Sui was refuted by him, his expression was secretly happy.

"Turns out he's never bought clothes for other girls...... What a good man. The corners of Xiao Sui's eyes were a little moist, and he turned his face slightly.

"Don't be shy, after you arrive in Xiangjiang, you will nominally pretend to be a beautiful screenwriter who is willing to be under my unspoken rules, and I am your potential investor. Brew your emotions – there will probably be an Englishman at tomorrow night's cocktail party. ”

"Then you hug me, otherwise how can I get used to it?" Xiao Sui is very single-minded and plays hooligan.

Gu Biao hugged the young lady and strolled to a Shopping-Mall in Mong Kok next to him.

"Give you a $2,000 budget and you'll have to do it all over your body. ”