Two strangers only need five people to get to know each other. American social psychologist Milgram proposed such a theory in the 1960s and named it the six degrees of separation theory.
Although this theory cannot be proven to be completely correct, in reality, in most cases it does take less than five people to get to know another person.
Bryce contacted Yu Dong through only two people. She first asked the famous musician Kenny Rogers if he could help contact Spielberg. She wanted to contact Yu Dong through Spielberg.
.
But coincidentally, Kenny Rogers knew Jimmy and still had Jimmy's phone number. Kenny Rogers directly gave Jimmy's number to Bryce, and then Bryce called Jimmy.
When he received the call, Jimmy and Yu Dong had just arrived at Langton Bookstore.
Hearing that the other party wanted to find Yu Dong, Jimmy covered the microphone and said to Yu Dong, "Bryce, the director of the Art Creation Department of the National Academy of Composition, said she wanted to talk to you."
"Bryce?" Yu Dong was a little confused. He couldn't figure out how he and the other party could be connected: "Did you say why?"
"Let me ask."
Jimmy asked into the phone and then covered the receiver, "She wants to ask you if you know a man named Dan Brown."
Yu Dong raised his eyebrows, "I really know her. What is her relationship with Dan Brown?"
"Since we know each other, let's talk about it."
Yu Dong nodded, took the phone, and said, "Hello, I'm YU."
Bryce was originally wondering how Jimmy could stop talking, but then she heard Yu Dong's voice and said unexpectedly, "Hello YU, I didn't expect you to be right next to me."
Yu Dong smiled and said, "It's a coincidence. I've only been in the United States for two days, and I have a book signing today, so I'm with Jimmy. I heard you mentioned Dan Brown. What's the reason? You know Dan Brown.
What?"
"I am his fiancée." Bryce smiled.
This guy is about to get married. Yu Dong smiled and said, "I bought one of his albums in a record store in Hollywood before. Because the music is quite special, it left a deep impression on me."
Bryce was stunned. Her fiancé remembered correctly. The person who bought his album at that time was YU.
"YU, will your autograph signing be in Los Angeles? Is it convenient for us to go over and meet you?"
Yu Dong was also stunned. Is there such a good thing? He had been thinking about how to find Dan Brown before, but he didn't expect him to come to his door.
"Of course, but I may not be able to give you too much time. Well, I'm going to start autograph signings here. If you want to come, you can call Jimmy on this phone."
"Okay, we will definitely get there."
Yu Dong returned the phone to Jimmy, and Jimmy asked: "Isn't that Dan Brown the down-and-out musician we met in Hollywood last time?"
"That's right. This Bryce is his fiancée."
Jimmy shook his head in disbelief, "He has such a fiancée and is doing so poorly. It shows that my judgment is correct. It is unlikely that he will succeed in music. Dong, if you want to get involved in the music industry, I will introduce you later.
A few famous musicians for you."
Yu Dong smiled and said, "Are you afraid that I don't understand music and will mess around?"
"Look at what you said, I have 100% trust in your aesthetics." Jimmy changed the topic again, "Let's go, the autograph session is about to begin. There are no fewer people here today than last time."
Yu Dong took a look at the queue outside. Indeed, it was only around eight o'clock, and readers were already lining up outside the bookstore.
Langton Bookstore is much more spacious than Little Bear Bookstore, with three to five hundred people lined up inside.
The two of them walked towards the autograph table, and Jimmy added, "I think you need to organize a global autograph tour and come up with a theme name for the autograph session."
"It's not a concert, what kind of theme name is it, and I don't have much time to hold a book signing."
"It doesn't matter if you don't have much time. Let's get the name of the Global Tour and Signing Tour out first. Global Tour... sounds amazing. Even readers who don't know you will know it immediately as long as they hear that it is a Global Signing Tour.
You are a world-famous writer."
Yu Dong had already sat down. While adjusting the chair, he listened to Jimmy say that this time Langdon Bookstore got a good quality chair and it was very comfortable to sit on.
Jimmy continued: "I will work with publishing houses and bookstores around the world to conduct a feedback activity. The new batch of printed books will come with a survey form. Readers can fill in the survey form and send it to the publishing house. We will base it on
The number of questionnaires received in each place will determine whether to hold a local book signing event."
Yu Dong smiled and said: "It's easy to forge questionnaires. Others only need to make copies."
"No." Jimmy shook his head, "Each questionnaire has a specific number, and the paper is also oil paper. If you want to forge it, you have to find a special printing house and retype it. And if the printed number is the same as the one sent by others,
It will be invalid. Of course, the most critical issue is that the total number of books sold in many areas is only so many. Even if someone forges it, it cannot exceed the total number of books sold."
Yu Dong finally understood. Jimmy didn't worry about other people's counterfeiting at all, because he ultimately looked at the local sales of the book. To put it bluntly, this trick was just to stimulate sales.
Some people may think that instead of going to such trouble, it would be better to just tell readers which region has good sales and hold a signing event there. However, this is too straightforward and utilitarian, and readers may be disgusted, so I changed it.
The questionnaire method is much gentler.
"You, you are a good reader of routines." Yu Dong said with a smile.
Jimmy laughed, "How can I be called a routine reader? I am doing their best to benefit them. Without me to organize this event, they want you to go to their place for a book signing, but they don't know that you have to wait until the Year of the Monkey. Then the matter is settled.
This event will definitely take some time to produce results, which will allow us to slowly plan a route."
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! "Okay, just do what you said."
After Jimmy left, Cheng Yanqiu came over holding a thermos cup, which probably contained the health tea she made. After getting married, she began to like to study some things in the kitchen, but there was no place for her to experiment, so she
The next best thing is to start researching some health teas.
This thing is so simple, you can make it with a kettle.
Yu Dong didn't have a breakdown, but he had drank at least twenty kinds of health tea during this period, such as wolfberry tea, candied date tea, white fungus tea, reed root honey tea, orange black tea...
Some of them are pretty good, and some of them taste terrible. But the ones made by my wife treat them as good medicine but taste bitter.
"What's the tea today?"
Yu Dong looked at the thermos cup and suddenly remembered a line from "Forrest Gump": Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what the next one will taste like.
If Yu Dong said it, life is like health tea, you never know what is in the next pot.
Cheng Yanqiu opened the lid of the cup and fanned the smell toward Yu Dong, "Smell it."
Yu Dong took a sniff and guessed: "It has a faint smell of candied dates, wolfberry, and definitely wolfberry. Well...it seems to also have ginseng."
Cheng Yanqiu laughed, "It's true, there's nothing in it. I didn't find the ingredients, so I poured you a pot of boiled water."
"There's nothing wrong with it. My wife brewed it. Even plain water can taste like sugar."
"Bullshit." Cheng Yanqiu rolled her eyes at Yu Dong sweetly, "You go ahead and get busy, I'll find a place to read."
Yu Dong looked at his wife's back with a smile, then waved for the readers to come in, and the book signing officially began.
According to Yu Dong's practice, the first reader always gets special treatment, and this time is no exception. He took up his pen and wrote on the title page: Life is like boiled water, what it tastes like depends on the person who drinks it.
"Friend, what's your name?"
"My name is Bai Juyi, YU."
"What?" Yu Dong looked at the blond and blue-eyed young man in front of him in surprise. His pronunciation was not very standard, but he could still tell that he said "Bai Juyi".
"Bai Juyi." He probably thought he couldn't pronounce it well, so he repeated it again, and then explained, "Because of you, I started to like Chinese culture, so I asked my Chinese friend to give me a Chinese name. He told me this name
Very good, symbolizing purity and wealth."
Purity and wealth... isn't it? Purity, white! Wealth, Juyi!
"Very good." Yu Dong nodded and continued to write on the title page: To Bai Juyi.
Returning the book to the other party, Yu Dong smiled and said, "Come on, if you like Chinese culture, you can go to China. If you have a chance to meet again, I will introduce you to another Bai Juyi next time."
"Another Bai Juyi?" Bai Juyi scratched his head and didn't understand what it meant. However, Du Dong said that we would meet again next time, which made him very excited, "I will definitely work hard."
The first reader was Bai Juyi, which brought a good mood to Yu Dong. At the same time, he was also looking forward to whether Li Bai, Fan Zhongyan or the like would appear in the future, so he gave a lot of special lottery tickets today just to ask what their names were.
name.
But it is a pity that there is only one Bai Juyi, Li Bai and others did not come.
…
At almost noon, Bryce went to the bookstore with Dan Brown.
Yu Dong happened to be a little tired, so he stopped to rest for a while, just in time to meet them.
When he met Bryce, Yu Dong was a little surprised. Although she was well-maintained and had a good temperament, she could tell that she must be forty years old.
Yu Dong couldn't remember how old Dan Brown was, but Dan Brown was standing in front of Yu Dong. He was only about thirty years old. There was an age gap of at least ten years between the two.
Yu Dong didn't know much about Dan Brown's personal life. He had only read Dan Brown's works, so he didn't know whether Dan Brown would later be with Bryce.
When she saw Yu Dong, Bryce was very enthusiastic. She shook hands with Yu Dong first and then introduced him, "This is Dan Brown..."
Yu Dong smiled and waved his hand, "Bryce, no introduction is needed. You know, I have met Dan Brown."
Then Yu Dong took the initiative to shake hands with Dan Brown and said, "Long time no see."
Today, Dan Brown has not yet written a novel, is not doing well in the music industry, and is in a depressed mood. If Bryce hadn't pulled him over, he probably wouldn't have come to see Yu Dong.
Bryce always thought that Dan Brown had artistic talent, so she promoted Dan Brown everywhere whenever she had the opportunity. This time she came to see Yu Dong, but she had no specific purpose. She just wanted to be like Yu Dong, who is now famous.
A popular best-selling author in the film and television industry has a relationship.
After meeting, Bryce and Yu Dong spent most of the time chatting, and Dan Brown just listened quietly. What Bryce and Yu Dong talked about was not nutritious, because the two were not in the same circle, and Bryce
It was impossible for Si to talk about music with Yu Dong, and the most she could do was mention Dan Brown's album.
At other times, Bryce was praising Yu Dong's novels. Yu Dong wanted to praise him back, but he didn't know what he was praising. He only knew that Bryce was the director of the creative writing department of the National Academy of Composition, and he didn't know anything else. Kua Dan
Brown, I can only praise his album, but if you praise it too much, it will seem fake.
Fifteen minutes later, Bryce took the initiative to leave. He knew that Yu Dong was busy today and there were many readers waiting outside.
Yu Dong smiled and sent them out of the office, and then said to Dan Brown, "Mr. Brown, I am usually not in the United States. If you want to find me, you can contact me through Jimmy. You have also seen Jimmy, the one who was with me last time."
Americans, you also have a number. Like Bryce, I believe that your artistic talent may just not be put into good use yet."
Such words seemed like polite words, but Dan Brown still said gratefully: "Thank you, YU."
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! Yu Dong is quite special to him, because Yu Dong is the first celebrity to buy his album without knowing his relationship with Bryce. In this way
The encouragement given by him was extraordinary. He once lost confidence in music before. If it weren't for Bryce, he would have even given up music.
When I met Yu Dong this time, although I didn't say a few words, it made him regain his confidence in music.
After sending away Dan Brown, the autograph session will continue.
Cheng Yanqiu would occasionally come to give Yu Dong some hot water.
Regarding drinking hot water, Ron didn't quite understand it, because he had never seen anyone around him drink hot water. Wouldn't cold water taste better?
However, Ron still respected Yu Dong's habits and prepared hot water for him. At the same time, he also took over the task of refilling Yu Dong's hot water. However, when he saw Cheng Yanqiu going to refill Yu Dong's hot water, he did not bother him anymore.
.
He was laughing as he looked at the long queue. Not surprisingly, he should be able to sell at least five thousand copies of Yu Dong's novels today.
Of course, these are all minor. The key is that their Langton Bookstore is the second bookstore in the United States and the first in Los Angeles to open a book signing in the East.
Moreover, Yu Dong also agreed to wait until after the book signing to leave some signed books for them to use as event prizes.
At this autograph session, the best-selling book was of course the new book "Fatal Identity", followed by "The Second World".
He had finished reading "Fatal Identity" and was quite shocked. He was shocked not only by the twist at the end, but also by the wonderful perspective development in the novel.
YU's writing style has always been a mystery. He seems to like to do some experiments. From the beginning of "Resident Evil" to this "Fatal Identity", his style has always changed.
Or maybe it's not a change, it's more like... there is such a warrior, he has a variety of weapons in his arsenal, and he will only use them when the time is right.
Of course, some people speculate that the reason for the difference is because the translators have different styles. Perhaps YU’s original work has a very unified style.
…
Martin Scorsese also attended this year's Academy Awards ceremony. He came from Las Vegas, where he was filming his new movie "Casino."
The next morning, he went to Universal Pictures. He had some movie-related matters that he needed to talk to the company about.
As soon as I entered the company, I met Joe James, the director of the marketing department, who was holding a book in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other.
Seeing Martin, Joe smiled and said hello, "Hey, Martin, is the budget for "Casino" not enough again?"
Martin also smiled and said: "If your marketing department can help the movie get more advertisements, I won't worry about funding."
"Didn't we advertise a watch for you before? We have tried our best."
Martin narrowed his eyes, "What book are you reading?"
Qiao smiled and raised the book in his hand, "YU's new book "Fatal Identity", maybe our company will invest in this novel in the future, I will read it in advance and make preparations."
"You can always describe laziness in a very high-sounding way."
Of course Martin knew about YU. He saw her last night. He had thought about chatting with YU during the dinner, but in the end he didn't go because he met too many friends and YU was surrounded by many people.
After thinking for a while, he asked again: "Does it look good?"
"I just bought it. The guys in the planning department said it was very good. Since our company filmed "The Second World", many people in the company have become YU fans. I heard that YU is signing books today.
Many people want to take time off to go there."
Hearing what Joe said, Martin became interested and said, "I'll go do some business first. You can lend me the book later."
"I haven't read this book yet..."
After finishing the business, Martin went to find Joe, who threw a copy of "Fatal Identities" to him, "I borrowed a copy from the planning department for you. You can read it first, but remember to return it."
Martin shook his head, "The book I'm holding belongs to you, and the one in your hand was borrowed from the planning department."
After saying that, Martin took the book and left.
Joe rolled his eyes in the office, this Martin takes advantage of everything.
Martin took "Fatal Identity" back home, sat down comfortably on the soft chair next to the bed, and started reading.
After watching for a while, Martin suddenly felt that the surroundings were gloomy, but when he looked up, it was still sunny outside, and he realized that it was not that the weather was gloomy in reality, but that this novel was too gloomy.
If this novel is compared to a house, then this house should have no windows or doors. It has a black ceiling, very high, and black walls on all sides. Only one wall has a small crack.
.
Looking out from this gap, you can see a glimmer of light, but it is just light and nothing else can be seen.
Although there is no particularly thrilling plot in the novel, there is an invisible force between the lines. This force pulls people to a place where they can't see their fingers. It is so quiet that you can only hear footsteps coming from nowhere.
Voice.
It is just such a simple sound of footsteps that can mobilize all the readers' emotions.
The psychological description and detailed presentation of the characters in this novel are simply incredible, which somewhat subverted Martin's imagination. Because his previous understanding of YU was limited to the two books "Resident Evil" and "Second World", although these two books
He has never read it, but he has some understanding of it.
He originally thought that Yu Dong was a purely commercial novelist, but he didn't expect that his novels would be so delicate.
When Martin finished watching the ending, he suddenly patted his thigh: "That's how it turned out to be."
He originally thought that this novel wanted to explore family, school violence, and adolescence, but he did not expect that it would eventually turn to split personality.
But if you think about it carefully, the foreshadowing has indeed been laid before. Although they are different in age, gender, and identity, these characters really feel like they are the same person.
If this novel was made into a movie...
Martin suddenly had such an idea, and once the idea came out, he couldn't stop it. He even found a notebook and pen to record his inspiration.
How to change here, how to design there. If this novel is to be adapted into a movie, it must not be copied according to the original work, otherwise it will definitely die miserably. Many psychological descriptions in the book cannot be shown in movies, and Martin needs to conceive more
The plot makes the movie full.
Chapter completed!