As Zhang Tianxing was nervously acquiring crayfish, an event quietly concluded.
After a chase of one and a half months, with the participation of numerous readers and writers, we received over four hundred submissions.
Here, we, the Crayfish Association, thank every contributor. We will prepare a exquisite gift for each submitter according to their submitted address.
With the strong support of Zhonghai Daily and the Zhonghai City Propaganda Department, this edition of the Crayfish Essay Contest has come to a successful close.
After expert selection, the list of winners is as follows. We will repost these articles one by one in the magazine.
A piece of news from Zhonghai Daily quickly spread: the Crayfish Essay Contest has ended.
"Sigh, I knew this competition was rigged. Who donates money for no reason? Usually, these competitions are internally decided. If you participate, you're just a denominator."
"Fame comes early. This is an era where celebrities dominate. You can write well and your work can be popular, but if I, an expert, don't rate you, what can you do?"
The Crayfish Essay Contest has not had an easy journey, having experienced too much doubt.
People thought it was rigged, not open, and not transparent.
Where is there so much fairness in this world? Being relatively fair is already very good. There is no absolute fairness in this world.
Absolute fairness is the greatest unfairness.
...
A middle-aged man put down his last stubborn resistance, tears in his eyes. His literary dream was shattered. Now, literature can't even feed his family, let alone cover other expenses.
There was no food at home, and his wife alone could not support the entire family.
Yu Yue lowered his head. A month and a half had passed, and he still hadn't earned any money. It seemed he wasn't suited to this path.
Countless submissions and countless rejections had not extinguished Yu Yue's passion for writing.
He had no choice but to engage in literary creation; only then would Yu Yue's heart find peace. He was unwilling and didn't want to work a regular job, only wanting to quietly create with his passion.
His wife, Wang Xiaojuan, had initially supported her husband's creation. As long as the family had enough money for writing, it was not a big deal.
However, at this time, the family could not even afford to eat. There was nothing to be done. Her own earnings were limited, so she could only ask her husband to give up this dream.
Yu Yue cried like a child then, as if a beloved toy had been taken away from him. But there was no alternative; surviving was the primary goal of life.
It was precisely the Crayfish Essay Contest that gave him a sliver of hope. However, they still needed rice to cook. He spent a week pouring his heart into a novel and submitted it.
Without waiting for the results, he went to the streets to sell vegetables for a living, eating when he could and starving when he couldn't, but at least it was better than having no income.
One day, as he was preparing to go home after selling vegetables, he saw a tattered piece of newspaper on the ground.
How long had it been since he last read a book or newspaper? He woke up at four in the morning to get vegetables, started selling them at six, and then went door to door.
Yu Yue picked up the newspaper. It was the fourth page of Zhonghai Daily, with a prominent headline announcing the successful conclusion of the Crayfish Essay Contest.
The first prize was Yu Yue's work, "Nostalgia for the Homeland"! Seeing this line, Yu Yue couldn't believe his eyes.
Yu Yue rubbed his eyes hard and found he wasn't mistaken. He immediately shouted excitedly.
This startled the people around him. "Yu the slowpoke, what are you going crazy for?"
"I'm not crazy, I've been published, I've struck it rich."
Aunt Zhou nearby asked, "Really published? Where was it published? Will they give you money? Don't get scammed!"
"No way. It's written in Zhonghai Daily, and they even invited famous reporters and editors from all over the country."
"The more cunning the scammer, the more prominent the people they invite. The more famous the names, the harder it is for you to verify. Yu the slowpoke, isn't that right?" Aunt Zhou was full of anger looking at Yu Yue.
He always had a self-important air about him. Wearing glasses meant he was a successful person, but wasn't that just bullshitting?
If that were the case, she could get two reading glasses, wear one, and put one in her pocket.
Yu Yue was very angry upon hearing this but couldn't argue with Aunt Zhou, so he could only sulk.
But now he hadn't received any money, and he couldn't say anything. He could only blame himself for not controlling his mouth. If he didn't get the money, he would become a laughingstock on the streets again.
There was nothing to be done. Entertainment was scarce at this time, so gossip spread very quickly in small towns.
Yu Yue lowered his head. His small business today was good, but he had no mind to continue selling the remaining vegetables. He casually dealt with them.
Then he went home. He intended to inquire about the Crayfish Essay Contest, but at this hour, making a phone call felt a bit too much.
While he was struggling with indecision, Yu Yue's wife came home and was surprised to see him.
"It's good that you're home. I was just thinking of looking for you. There's a letter here for you. Little Li from the post office gave it to me directly."
Yu Yue's heart surged with excitement. "Quick, let me see."
With an excited heart and trembling hands, he opened the registered letter. Inside was a remittance slip, with "Five Thousand Yuan Only" neatly written on it.
Yu Yue and his wife stood frozen, then hugged each other.
Yu Yue cried, "It wasn't in vain. Now the child can have porridge with small ingredients to drink!"
"Yes, I believe in you. You will succeed."
...
A teenager also received his manuscript fee on this day. He took out his math textbook from his schoolbag, threw it on the ground, and shouted loudly.
"I never want to study math again! I hate math."
This scared his classmates. "Zhou Han, what are you going crazy about?"
"I'm not crazy. I think I've found the path I want to take. I was never good at math, and I have no interest in it, so I plan to drop out of school."
A stone stirred a thousand waves, stunning the surrounding classmates.
At this moment, a middle-aged scholar with glasses walked over. "Zhou Han, why are you so happy?"
"Teacher Yang, my short story was published, so I don't want to go to school anymore. My skills are already sufficient."
Zhou Han held up the remittance slip, which was his honor. He was an adolescent filled with youthful arrogance, a teenager who looked down on everyone.
Teacher Yang smiled. "The Crayfish Essay Contest, it seems you wrote well. But I have something to tell you."
"The organizer of this Crayfish Essay Contest is a high school graduate this year, a future university student. According to the newspaper, they've been admitted to Zhonghai University."
"Wow, comparing people makes one angry. Organizing an essay contest shows this person is very wealthy, and they even invited so many famous people to judge. They must be extraordinary!"
"Teacher, are you telling the truth or lying? It sounds like a story. A future university student, and the organizer of an essay contest? Are you kidding us!"