After hearing Wen Ying describe the situation, Ding Chao’s voice on the phone remained quite calm.
“Teacher Little Fish, I understand. Now we watch their next move. If the author Editor-in-Chief Bao discovered has real strength and “Thorn Crown” ultimately gains market recognition, I would actually be happy. The book market blooming with one flower is not prosperous. A hundred flowers blooming is true prosperity.”
Ding Chao used his calm voice to convince himself and also to soothe Wen Ying’s mood.
Editor-in-Chief Ding and Wen Ying had not known each other long, unlike Yuan Fenghui who understood Wen Ying well. He feared Wen Ying might panic first.
As long as Wen Ying stayed steady herself, Ding Chao feared nothing!
With so many years in the industry, what demons, ghosts, and monsters had Editor-in-Chief Ding not seen? Plagiarists, thieves of manuscripts, those using ghostwriters, infighting within the same publishing house, poaching authors between different houses. Every matter was troublesome, yet all were resolved in the end.
Of course Wen Ying was not panicking.
“I am just reminding you, so you are prepared. My thinking matches yours. I believe the market needs a hundred flowers to bloom.”
Copying the operation mode of “Galaxy and You” was fine. Once a mode succeeded, imitators would follow. Wen Ying never feared imitators.
Whether Bao Lixin or Lan Jing, they were no different from other competitors!
Ding Chao let out a long sigh of relief, “With Teacher Little Fish saying this, I am relieved. Now we see the quality of “Thorn Crown” that Editor-in-Chief Bao is focusing on. Just from the title, its theme differs from “Searching for Yong”. Even if “Thorn Crown” grabs temporary heat under all the promotion, it cannot steal “Searching for Yong”‘s reader base… Imitators can only imitate, never surpass the original.”
Imitate Wen Ying’s style?
To be honest, in the past one or two years, more than just Lan Jing had imitated Wen Ying’s style. Ding Chao had not seen any truly succeed.
Readers were not blind. With jewels before them, why look at rubble? What Ding Chao valued most in Wen Ying was her constant innovation, always challenging herself.
Unless Wen Ying stopped writing, readers would reluctantly seek substitutes.
Wen Ying was in her high-output creative period. Ask readers to ignore quality and chase high imitations?
Ding Chao thought it impossible!
Mrs Wang was originally quite anxious. Hearing Wen Ying and Ding Chao so confident, Mrs Wang was no longer anxious.
“I think Lan Jing’s level is not as good as yours either.”
Seeing Mrs Wang blindly optimistic, Wen Ying could not help reminding, “I am not afraid of competing on novel sales. Readers are picky. I just fear under massive resource dumping, they truly produce a hit drama that tops ratings…”
Mrs Wang’s smile froze.
So Lan Jing was not Wen Ying’s enemy, but Tianjiao’s enemy?
Tianjiao least wanted Manager Guan and Liang Dan regaining speaking power. Yuan Fenghui had been avoiding Director Fan but not closing the door completely. The mainland ratings market was like this. Bypassing Hunan TV once did not mean always. With Manager Guan and Liang Dan having influence at Hunan TV, Director Fan’s influence would be squeezed.
This would indirectly affect Tianjiao’s layout!
Mrs Wang was anxious for a while, then had a flash of insight, “Little Wen, you cannot wash your hands of this. If they stop Tianjiao from earning, your shareholder dividends will shrink!”
Wen Ying knew that of course!
So although Lan Jing could not threaten her position temporarily, Wen Ying could not be careless either.
The other side was already tied to Manager Guan. Unable to compete with Wen Ying in the book market, they would make Wen Ying bleed in the film and TV market. From the day Wen Ying became a Tianjiao shareholder, she could no longer think purely as a creator. She had to stand higher and overlook the whole picture.
“So this is our common matter.”
Wen Ying murmured.
That night at one in the morning, Mrs Wang was groggy when woken by the phone ring.
The call was from Ding Chao.
Little Ning could only find that Lan Jing’s new book was called “Thorn Crown”. Ding Chao had higher position and deeper qualifications, with broader connections in the industry. Not knowing about Bao Lixin’s sneaky moves at first was fine. Once aware, Ding Chao went all out and soon found more information.
“I found the printing proof of “Thorn Crown”. Sent the proof to Teacher Little Fish’s email. Let Teacher Little Fish take a look. After seeing it, Teacher Little Fish will know what to expect.”
Mrs Wang rubbed her eyes.
One in the morning, wake Wen Ying to see “Thorn Crown”?
This gave too much face to Bao Lixin and Lan Jing!
Wen Ying still had to record the variety show tomorrow. Without good rest, how to record?
Mrs Wang hesitated unusually. Before waking Wen Ying, she first called Yuan Fenghui.
Yuan Fenghui was also woken from sleep, but she had no morning anger and replied decisively, “Since Editor-in-Chief Ding said so, wake Wen Ying. Editor-in-Chief Ding knows priorities.”
There must be something wrong with the book “Thorn Crown”.
Mrs Wang hesitated no more. She knocked on the next door to wake Wen Ying.
Wen Ying rubbed her temples, “Auntie Dong, wait. I will wash my face.”
Washing with cold water, Wen Ying instantly perked up.
Just staying up to read a book?
It could not be harder than staying up for study materials.
Wen Ying quickly finished reading “Thorn Crown” and laughed upon finishing.
“Why are you laughing?”
Accompanying Wen Ying staying up, Mrs Wang yawned nonstop.
Only Wen Ying had the habit of carrying a laptop. Ding Chao’s email could only be viewed by Wen Ying first. Mrs Wang waited dryly, sleepy yet afraid to sleep.
Wen Ying turned the laptop screen towards Mrs Wang, gesturing for her to look herself.
“I am laughing at Editor-in-Chief Bao. He is more shameless than I imagined. Once “Thorn Crown” launches, Lan Jing will be completely ruined.”
Mrs Wang also went to wash her face.
After reading a bit of the front, Mrs Wang could not help exclaiming.
“This is not…”
Mrs Wang doubted her judgement. After all, she had no literary literacy and could not claim to be professional.
Wen Ying affirmed Mrs Wang’s judgement.
Mrs Wang was shocked, “How dare Bao Lixin? How could Lan Jing agree?”
What did Bao Lixin not dare?
Anyway, the one scolded would not be him.
Wen Ying was equally puzzled. Did Lan Jing really know what she would face?
That night, both Wen Ying and Mrs Wang slept poorly. Wen Ying was okay, but Mrs Wang was purely angry.
The next day’s variety show recording would not delay for their poor rest. Wen Ying and Mrs Wang arrived at the TV station on time. While Wen Ying was doing makeup, Director Fan came.
“I asked around. The one surnamed Guan did buy the rights to “Thorn Crown”. Liang Dan wants to make “Thorn Crown” an in-house production.”
Director Fan focused on buying dramas from Tianjiao and overlooked the loophole.
Under Liang Dan’s active push, “Thorn Crown” was just short of formal approval.
Wen Ying smiled, “After today’s recording, you can see the content of “Thorn Crown”. The real excitement is coming later!”
