Li Mu and his uncle Liu Xiaowu were busy with post-production work in the China Film editing room, when the mobile phone rang suddenly, and he walked outside the door to answer the phone.

"Sister Li." The caller was the editor of Science Fiction World Magazine, Qin Li.

The voice of Qin Li's editor on the other end of the phone was full of excitement:

"Your novel has been nominated for a Hugo Award."

"Which one?" Li Mu also asked a little excitedly.

"The Martian," "Gravity," "The Moon."

"Huh?"

"The Martian was nominated for Best Feature, Gravity was nominated for Short and Medium Story, and Moon was nominated for Short Story." Qin Li said with a smile.

Li Mu asked, "Can the same person get three nominations at the same time?" ”

"It's okay to win awards at the same time, not to mention that it's just a nomination now." Qin Li was in a very good mood and said.

"I don't dare to think about winning awards, it's good to be nominated." Li Mu said.

Qin Li quipped: "I said, why did you get cowardly when things came to an end?" Who was it at the wine table last time that you and Da Liu were the two people who were most likely to win the Hugo Award in Asia? Who said that the heroes of the world, only Da Liu and you Li Muer came? Why is it that now that the nomination is really here, you are retreating? ”

"Didn't you drink too much and brag at that time!" Li Mu said a little brightly.

Speaking seriously, did Li Mu have the confidence to brag like that? Actually, there are!

He has a lot of works in his mind that won the Hugo Award in later generations, and in terms of strength alone, he is definitely qualified to win the Hugo Award.

But most of the time in this world, you don't have the strength to do it.

Let's take the process of "The Three-Body Problem" winning the Hugo Award, is "The Three-Body Problem" eligible to win the Hugo Award?

Of course! And "The Three-Body Problem" did win the Hugo Award in the end, but the process of winning the award was quite bumpy.

Why didn't Da Liu go to the scene to receive the award? Because he didn't think he could really win the award at first.

On August 23, 2015, at the 73rd World Science Fiction Convention, astronaut Kyleinggren announced to the world via video link from the International Space Station, floating 350 kilometers away from the earth, that Chinese writer Liu Cixin won the best feature story award for his science fiction novel "The Three-Body Problem".

And not being able to be at the award ceremony also became a big regret for Da Liu.

In fact, Da Liu's "Three-Body Problem" was brushed down at the nomination stage at that time.

In 2013, the American science fiction community formed a group called "Sad Puppy", which is conservative and misogynistic about people of color, specializing in suppressing minorities, women, young writers, and trying to monopolize the Hugo Awards.

There are not many members of the World Science Fiction Association who participate in the Hugo Award voting, and the 2015 nomination round received only a total of just over 2,000 valid votes, which is relatively easy to manipulate in an organized manner.

Da Liu's "Three-Body Problem" was under the political manipulation of "Operation Puppy" and lost the nomination for the Hugo Award.

However, a writer whose work was nominated, Marco Krauss, was very annoyed with the political manipulation of "Sad Puppy" and took the initiative to give up the quota of his work to "Three-Body Problem 1", and at the same time, the political manipulation of "Sad Puppy" was too obvious, which also aroused the disgust of most science fiction conference members, which led to the fact that "Three-Body Problem 1" successfully won the honor of the long-form science fiction novel "Hugo Award"!

After Malco Kraus withdrew from the election to give up his spot, he tweeted: "To be honest, I really can't think of a more famous film than "The Three-Body Problem" that I want to see on the shortlist. Good luck to the author Liu Cixin and translator Liu Yukun! ”

At this time, although the "Sad Puppy" had not yet been established, its core personnel discriminated against people of color and suppressed the ideas of minorities, women, and young writers had already taken shape, so Li Mu did not have much hope of winning the award.

And Li Mu always felt that it might be bad for him to get three nominations at the same time: a yellow person, still a Chinese national, got three nominations when he came up - there is a high probability that it will stimulate those conservative people, and even the establishment time of "Sad Puppy" may be greatly advanced.

On the contrary, if you only get one nomination, it will not be obvious, but you may succeed.

Qin Li's editor is much more optimistic than Li Mu:

"This year is the first time that the World Science Fiction Convention has been held in an Asian country, and this year will also be the first time that the Chinese science fiction community has participated in the World Science Fiction Convention in an organized manner. A large number of Chinese science fiction writers, editors, and members of Science Fiction World Magazine will come to RB Yokohama to participate in the conference. ”

"If your novel can successfully win the Hugo Award at this conference, then you and your work will achieve the most highlight moment in the Chinese science fiction industry."

"The first time the World Congress of Science Fiction was held in Asia, and the first time an Asian won the Hugo Award! If successful, your name will be forever written into the history of Chinese science fiction. Winning three nominations at the same time this time shows that most members of the World Science Fiction Convention highly recognize your work, and in short, I think the probability of you winning the award is still very high. ”

"Is there a real chance?" After listening to Qin Li's words, Li Mu's heart also warmed up.

"Of course there is a chance." Qin Li added, "Your movies are very popular in the United States, your novels have a large number of loyal readers in the United States, your popularity in the United States is extremely high, and even your relationship with Cheng Long is very good - these are the backing for your success in winning awards." ”

"Cheng Long?" Li Mu is puzzled - does Cheng Long have a dime to do with the Hugo Award?

Qin Li said with a smile: "A guy I know who has the right to vote personally told me that he knows that you have a very close relationship with Cheng Long, and he likes Cheng Long very much, plus your work is really good, so he will definitely vote for you then." ”

"Huh? That's it! ”

Li Mu didn't expect that his relationship with Cheng Long could even win a vote for the Hugo Award.

"Alright, I won't bother you." Qin Li also knew that Li Mu was usually very busy, so she had to hang up the phone after the notification.

"Wait a minute." Li Mu suddenly remembered one thing at this time, "There is something I want to trouble Sister Li, I want to buy the copyrights of Da Liu's new book "The Three-Body Problem" such as movies, television, online dramas, animation, etc., and the signing place will be set in the Science Fiction World Magazine, please ask Sister Li to help contact Da Liu, and at the same time, please be a witness to our Science Fiction World Magazine." ”

"Okay, it's up to my sister."

……

Tay Son Province, Duong Quan City.

Liu Cixin, daughter Liu Jing, and wife Ms. Ding are having dinner for a family of three.

"I'm going to the city in a few days." Liu Cixin said suddenly.

"What are you doing in the city?" The wife asked.

Liu Cixin said a little reservedly: "In the afternoon, Editor Qin Li called, Li Mu has taken a fancy to the film and television copyright of "The Three-Body Problem", I will talk about it in the past." ”

The wife suddenly smiled and said, "Li Mu? Then you have to go, or I'll be with you. ”

Before Li Mu bought the film and television rights of "The Wandering Earth" and "Country Teacher", Da Liu's wife never thought that her husband's novel could be so valuable.

The film and television copyrights of the two novels sold for a full 600,000! Liu Cixin's other works were not even bought for 50,000 yuan, and Li Mu was too generous in comparison.

"Dad, are you going to see Li Mu?" Liu Cixin's 14-year-old daughter Liu Jing suddenly said, "Remember to help me bring a set of "The Hunger Games" signed by Li Mu. ”

Liu Ci was quite helpless in his heart.

As a husband and father, his wife and daughter never read his novels, which must be a pity for him.

But his wife and daughter have their own interests, and Liu Cixin can't ask them all to become science fiction fans, but Li Mu is also a science fiction writer, and her daughter likes Li Mu's works very much, which can't help but make Liu Cixin a little surprised.

But in addition to the taste, Liu Cixin also thought about it, his daughter didn't read her own books, but read Li Mu's books, doesn't this just show that Li Mu's books can sell 20 million copies, but his own books can only sell 20,000 copies is actually reasonable?