After the meal is used up, there are all kinds of cheeses, desserts, and the ice cream is naturally indispensable. Coffee, chocolate and sweet cakes are included. As for the wine, there are famous wines made in 1983, with champagne.

During the process of tasting desserts and drinking, 10 people determined the eight novels that were finally shortlisted for the Goncourt Literature Award, and then announced it by Cecil, the rotating president of the jury this year. However, before that, they had to pay the meal fee.

The restaurant owner came in person and handed over the bill. Cecil took a symbolic look, yes, it was still two francs.

"Old rule, two cents per person." Cecil said, taking out two coins from his pocket and putting them on the dining table.

"This is mine."

"Two cents are here."

"And mine."

"Who has the change? Find me change, I have a franc."

"I know I want to use it, but I don't bring change."

...

This hearty dinner costs at least 10,000 francs. The bottle of 1983 wine, which is ordered by a single order, costs at least 3,000 francs, but the bill brought by the boss himself showed that the dinner only cost two francs.

This is a tradition. The first Goncourt Literature Award in 1903 was announced here. At that time, the meal fee for the people on the jury was two francs. For more than a hundred years, no matter how the currency depreciated and appreciated, two francs were always the price of this dinner. No matter what the person ate or drank, the price was always this.

Ten old men paid 20 cents each, collected a large handful of coins and handed them over to the boss.

After the boss accepted it with a smile, he asked, "Is there a novel shortlisted for this time "French Will"?"

Cecil said: "You have a good vision, Professor Morris recommended this novel."

The boss said happily: "Ah, that's great. I am a loyal reader of this book and often cry for Xiang Keli's miserable experience."

Cecil said: "You are such a sentimental person who has seen through the essence of life. From birth to death, people cry loudly and go to secretly. Crying is our destiny, and disappointment is a common thing. So, I want to tell you that you are too happy too early. The French Will was recommended and eliminated."

After saying that, he took everyone out of the private room and came to the restaurant lobby. Facing the reporters gathered here, he began to announce his works shortlisted for the Goncourt Literature Award this year.

Every year at 8 o'clock, European media reporters flock to this small restaurant and gather here, enjoying French Western food while waiting for the Goncourt Literature Award jury upstairs to announce the list of shortlisted novels. Among these people, not only media reporters, but also editors from publishing houses, they hope that the published novels will be shortlisted. Anyone who is shortlisted for this award will have a significant increase in sales. In China, if a bestseller sales volume does not exceed 1 million copies, it cannot be called a bestseller, but in France, it is already amazing to reach 100,000 copies, especially for literary novels. The publication cost of French literary works is very low, and the taxes to be paid is negligible. The income that writers can get is very considerable. As for some popular bestsellers, whose global sales reach tens of millions of copies, that is the lucky one of the times and has no reference.

The editor of the French Larus Publishing House squeezed into the Druen restaurant. The man in his early 30s with two beards just finished a piece of steak and saw 10 old men coming down from the second floor of the restaurant. The upper floor is usually open, but tonight is exceptional. If everyone wants to know the result, they can only wait on the first floor.

This year, Larus Publishing House published several novels with good reviews, and they may be shortlisted for the Goncourt Literature Award. The management has high hopes for this year, believing that there will be at least 2 of the 8 novels. If it is optimistic, there may be 3-4 books. Unfortunately, the final result was very disappointed. Fortunately, one of them was finally shortlisted, which is "The Old Man and the Sea" from China. They were also on the list of "possible awards", but only this book lived up to expectations, and the others were wiped out.

After Cecil announced the list, he said, "These are the eight novels that were shortlisted for the Goncourt Literature Award this year. I know you must have many questions, oh, why is this book, why isn't that book, what can I say about this? I can only say that the answers are all in the book. If you want to know why, go find these 8 books to read by yourself. Girls and gentlemen, tonight end here. According to tradition, three days later, at 1 o'clock in the afternoon, we will see you here again. Now, if you don't mind, please make a way out and let us dying old men leave. At 8:30, the "Goddess of Good Heart" in the Opera House next door will be performed. This is our established program tonight. Now, there are still 5 minutes left, and we have to run two steps on the road."

Some people were dissatisfied with him running away without answering the questions, and muttered that all the answers were in the book, and they were obviously for the sake of watching opera, and they were in a hurry, so they were really unresponsible.

The editor of Larus Publishing House did not finish Cecil's last words, and immediately ran out of the restaurant, called the publishing house, reported the latest situation, and then returned to his own table, finished the last supper, and drank the red wine in the cup.

There are many journalists and editors like him. Everyone picked up their wine glasses, greeted each other, and asked about the gains they had tonight. Some were happy, some were depressed, and some were whispering and commenting on the eight novels they published. Just as the people of Shengjing like to discuss politics, everyone is a folk politician, Paris likes to discuss food and literature, and everyone is a wild critic.

It was 9 o'clock in the evening in Paris, and it was 4 o'clock in the morning in Shengjing. Whether it was a happy event or a sad event, wait until the sun rose. An email from Larus Publishing House had been sent to the mailboxes of Li Xiang, Gu Qijing, Dingding Bookstore and Huaxia Bookstore. I waited for dawn to open the surprise.

At six o'clock in the morning, the sky was just dawn, and thick mist floated between the sky and the earth. A few years ago, there was a haze in Shengjing. After treatment, it was no longer visible. In the distance, the mist could not block the red light from the ground. The sun had not jumped out of the horizon, but Gu Qijing knew that today was another sunny day.

She stood on the balcony, did a brief stretching exercise for 5 minutes, reluctantly gave up the morning view of the park in front of her, came to the kitchen, and prepared to make breakfast for two people.

In October this year, the new house she bought with her boyfriend was accepted and moved in. After drifting in Shengjing for 4 years, she finally had her own house, and more importantly, a home.

She felt very lucky. In just four years, she realized her dream that others could not realize in more than ten years. After graduating from high school, she entered society and became a drifter in Beijing. She struggled and struggled in this big city. By chance, she entered Miya Entertainment, and by chance, she followed Li Xiang. Her former friend still lived in a "snail residence" and lived a "ant tribe" life. This made her always keep her heart tight and dare not relax. Now it is far from being enjoyed leisure. For this reason, she signed up for a night school, studied English, and prepared to take the undergraduate entrance exam. Since she was responsible for Li Xiang's literary affairs, she has started to deal with publishing houses abroad. Not being able to speak English is a big shortcoming.

After having breakfast with her boyfriend, she drove to the studio and met Xiao Xia and Xiao Zhang who were always one step ahead of her. She greeted her, returned to the office, turned on the computer, and habitually started the day's work by processing emails.

She saw the emails sent by Dingding Bookstore and Huaxia Bookstore last night to inform her of the sales of works "The Old Man and the Sea" and "I Am a Cat" the day before. This is a routine email, and the other party will inform her of the sales every day.

Gu Qijing especially observed the sales of "The Old Man and the Sea". She sold 20,000 copies a day yesterday. It would be great if the European market could have half the popularity of the domestic market. After the last time the online anchor "Mu Xue" mocked Ding Ding Bookstore for promoting the slogan "The Old Man and the Sea", Ding Ding Bookstore changed the promotional slogan and tried to be as low-key as possible to avoid some people who were jealous of Li Xiang to find excuses to attack.

Gu Qijing saw an English email lying quietly in the email address. After clicking it, she tried to browse the translation. It was too difficult. When she saw that the sender was the familiar Larus Publishing House, she got up and went outside the office and said to Xiao Xia who was talking to Xiao Zhang: "Xiao Xia, do you have time? Please translate an English email for me. It was sent by Larus Publishing House in the early morning."

Xiaoxia immediately stood up and said, "Here you come."

She put down the unfinished breakfast, took a sip of hot drink, wiped her mouth clean, and came to Gu Qijing's office. She now belongs to Gu Qijing's subordinates, all of whom belong to the literary business sector.

"It was this email that was sent at 4 a.m. today." Gu Qijing turned her computer laptop and asked Xiao Xia to take a closer look.
Chapter completed!