“This is written very well.”
Song Wei’s expression carried a hint of pride.
“Of course! Even though I’m not good at studying, writing an article is no big deal for me.”
Lin Zhen handed the diary back to her. “Have you ever thought about submitting it to a newspaper?”
Song Wei, who was in the middle of eating, paused. “Huh? Submitting it?”
That was something she had never considered before.
Lin Zhen nodded. “You write well, and you have photos. It’s logical and convincing—it might work.”
“How much do they pay if it gets accepted?”
If it could actually happen, it didn’t sound like a bad idea.
This would give their family a legitimate source of income. They could buy a lot of things in the future without anyone saying anything, though people might still grumble a bit, but at least there wouldn’t be any suspicion.
After all, they couldn’t rely on Lin Zhen’s veteran allowance and subsidies forever. Over time, people might start to ask questions.
Lin Zhen wasn’t sure how much the payment would be either.
“Should I give it a try then?”
The next day, before anyone could ask them about the camera, Lin Zhen set out early on his bike, taking Song Wei to develop the photos and submit the article to the newspaper.
She submitted her work to two newspapers—one in the capital and one local.
For the capital’s newspaper, she submitted an article and photos about the orca. It detailed the discovery and rescue of the orca, their interactions at sea, and even the gifts from the orca.
It was a complete storyline, and it made for a rather fascinating read.
With photographic evidence, no one could claim that her writing was fabricated or exaggerated.
For the local newspaper, she submitted a story about the security dogs of Ping’an Brigade, only briefly mentioning the matter of the kidnappers.
After sending the manuscripts via email, Song Wei didn’t pay much attention to them.
She was just giving it a try. Whether her work was selected or not didn’t matter much to her.
With the photos in hand, they bought quite a few things before heading back.
Upon returning, they were immediately surrounded by an enthusiastic crowd.
“Comrade Song, Lin Zhen, you’re finally back! Have the photos been developed yet?”
Everyone’s eyes were filled with anticipation as they stared at them.
The matter of the camera had spread throughout the entire brigade. They even knew that Shuanzi’s family had already taken photos and had some at home.
Since they couldn’t find Song Wei and Lin Zhen, many people had gone to Shuanzi’s house.
Even though Shuanzi Grandma was bedridden and frail, she was still full of pride when showing off the photos, her eyes brimming with joy.
But she couldn’t hold out for long and needed to rest. So, the others stayed in the courtyard to admire the photos.
Shuanzi’s father, mother, and grandfather held onto the photos tightly, refusing to let anyone else touch them, afraid they might get damaged.
After seeing Shuanzi’s family photos, especially the group portrait and the large solo portraits of the elderly, the other villagers were envious.
“This is great. These photos are so clear. Even after we pass, our descendants will still know who we are through these pictures.”
“The family portrait is nice too. It’s neat and tidy—truly wonderful.”
Many of the elderly wanted to take photos, hoping to leave behind something that future generations could cherish.
After seeing Shuanzi’s family photos, the villagers of Ping’an Brigade were even more eager to have their own taken.
However, Shuanzi’s family had already explained that taking photos cost money.
All of their photos together had cost five yuan.
In those days, photos were expensive, especially the 14-inch portraits. The two elders in Shuanzi’s family had requested this type of photo, which cost three yuan for two.
And this was with Song Wei using her own camera and film for free—she didn’t make any money from it. The photo studio’s prices would have been even higher.
Although the price was steep, the photos could last for a long time, making them quite worth it.
So, many of the elderly still wanted to take one.
Knowing that Lin Zhen and Song Wei had gone out, the elderly who weren’t busy waited at the village entrance.
This led to the current scene where Song Wei and Lin Zhen were surrounded.
Although they had anticipated this, the villagers’ enthusiasm was a bit overwhelming!
“The photos are ready.”
“You can take pictures, but there’s limited film, so we can’t take too many.”
“Everyone, just take a quick look at the photos. Be careful not to tear them.”
The villagers held the freshly developed photos, their faces beaming as they saw their children in them. Their wrinkles deepened as they smiled.
“Oh wow, these photos make us look so dignified!”
“There’s my little grandson and even my dog!”
Seeing how happy everyone was, Song Wei didn’t mention her submissions to the newspapers.
Whether or not they were accepted was another matter entirely.
As for portrait rights, that concept didn’t exist at the time.
Being featured in a newspaper was considered an honor. People would even treat a single copy of the paper as a family heirloom to be passed down for generations. They were too happy to complain.
If Song Wei were to mention it now, they’d likely neglect their work and spend all day waiting to see if her article appeared in the paper.
So, after some thought, she decided not to say anything.
In the days that followed, the villagers brought out their best and most presentable clothes, hoping Song Wei would take their pictures.
Song Wei didn’t want to go, so she handed the camera to Lin Zhen.
Lin Zhen didn’t want to go either—it was too much trouble.
So, they found Jiang Wenwu, the brigade leader’s youngest son, to take over.
Jiang Wenwu held the camera with disbelief on his face.
“Really? You’re letting me take pictures?”
This was like a pie falling from the sky and hitting him squarely on the head.
Lin Zhen nodded. “Just be careful not to break it.”
At this time, taking pictures didn’t require much skill. As long as the photos were clear, that was good enough.
Lin Zhen taught him how to take pictures, even practicing a few shots with their family members.
Once Jiang Wenwu got the hang of it, he started by taking pictures of his nieces and nephews.
Lin Zhen said these were free practice shots, and the photos would also be free.
When he was ready, the task of photographing the villagers was handed over to Jiang Wenwu.
The young man, with the camera hanging around his neck, walked with a spring in his step, his bright smile as radiant as the sun.
He instantly became the most popular guy in the entire Ping’an Brigade.
The other young men of Jiang Wenwu’s age were green with envy.
We could do it too. Why didn’t Lin Zhen ask us?
After one roll of film was used up, it took five days before Song Wei and Lin Zhen went to the photo studio to develop the pictures.
The owner of the photo studio: …
Are you here to steal my business?!
But since he could still make money from developing the photos, he let it slide.
Meanwhile, after over a month, the package Song Wei and Lin Zhen had sent to the northwest finally arrived.
The recipient was none other than Lin Zhen’s comrade-in-arms.
Yu Wei exclaimed, “That kid Lin Zhen sent so much stuff!”
Although most of it was for Song Wei’s uncle, to thank Yu Wei for his help, Song Wei and Lin Zhen had also sent a lot of items to his family.
“Wow, there’s even mushroom sauce! And… White Rabbit Creamy Candy? That’s not cheap!”
Yu Wei’s wife leaned in for a look and was immediately shocked.
“What kind of family does your comrade’s wife come from? There’s even fabric here!”
She immediately liked the fabric. It wasn’t easy to buy fabric in their area, let alone White Rabbit Candy, which was such a rare treat.
“They sent us so much. That kid is really generous.”
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