Already considered very successful?
Not really.
Wen Ying thought of her training classmates Mu Fan and Shui Mingyue, both of whom had basically achieved financial freedom, and felt she had become famous later than them. She still needed to roll up her sleeves and keep working hard!
Moreover, her dream of building a massive IP empire had only just set sail. She was still a long way from true success.
The words reached her lips, then she swallowed them again.
Would saying that in front of Uncle Xie come across as too Versailles?
Although this was her first time meeting Xie Yuping, Wen Ying very much wanted to leave a good impression. If she performed poorly and Xie Yuping questioned Xie Qian’s taste in friends, he might then doubt Xie Qian’s other abilities. What then?
Wen Ying reminded herself not to underperform or embarrass Xie Qian. After a moment of serious thought, she answered Xie Yuping’s question from a different angle. “I want to be even more successful. By success I don’t mean only writing. I’m rather greedy. Life is still so long ahead. As long as the people I love and those who love me can always be happy, that’s enough!”
Very greedy indeed.
Xie Yuping’s heart softened completely.
For Zou Weijun and Xie Qian to have met this girl in Rongcheng must be heaven’s way of compensating the mother and son.
This girl had encouraged Zou Weijun to return to the workplace.
This girl had earned some money from her novels and poured it all into lending Xie Qian a million to start his business.
She treated Zou Weijun and Xie Qian so well yet never boasted about it to either of them. Even now, Zou Weijun had no idea Wen Ying had lent Xie Qian a million, and Xie Qian was unaware of the conversation between Wen Ying and Zou Weijun at their first meeting. Xie Yuping knew only because both Zou Weijun and Xie Qian trusted him and were willing to confide in him!
That was why Xie Yuping had to come and see Wen Ying with his own eyes.
He was truly, deeply grateful to her, yet had no idea what he could offer as thanks.
He had thought a conversation might reveal some “need” of hers. Instead, after talking, he found Wen Ying even better than her file suggested. Xie Yuping now felt both gratitude and admiration for the girl!
“Your hopes for the future are indeed very greedy. I hope everything you wish for comes true. Happiness will not fall from the sky, but it can certainly be created with our own hands.”
Xie Yuping did not use name cards and had no habit of carrying them, so he gave Wen Ying his private mobile number.
After a moment’s thought, he added Zhong Yong’s number too.
“If you ever need any help, you can call me directly. If I don’t pick up, ring Zhong Yong.”
As he said this, Xie Yuping even called Zhong Yong into the room and instructed him in person.
Wen Ying was a little stunned.
Uncle Xie Qian had given her his private number?
If word of this got out, jaws would drop. Countless people out there desperately wanted Xie Yuping’s private number!
After all, given Xie Yuping’s position… Then Wen Ying thought again. She would never ask Xie Yuping to pull strings for her. To her, Xie Yuping was simply Xie Qian’s uncle, someone who could help Xie Qian, not her. She could keep a level head!
Wen Ying asked earnestly, “Uncle Xie, when you say help, do you mean with anything at all?”
Zhong Yong nearly coughed to warn her.
You can’t phrase it like that! If the girl sounded too greedy, she would leave a bad impression on the leader!
As for why Zhong Yong worried on her behalf, even he couldn’t explain. It was definitely not because of all those gifts Zou Weijun kept finding excuses to give him!
Zhong Yong was mistaken. Xie Yuping did not find Wen Ying greedy at all. Seeing the plea in her eyes, he immediately guessed what favour she would ask.
Once again Xie Yuping marvelled at the good fortune of Zou Weijun and Xie Qian, and answered with equal seriousness, giving Wen Ying complete reassurance. “Yes, you may call me about anything.”
Uncle Xie definitely understood what she meant!
He really was a fair and upright family patriarch!
Wen Ying finally understood why Li Mengjiao always wanted to do the splits when excited. Some emotions simply had nowhere else to go!
“I’ll remember that, Uncle Xie!”
Xie Yuping glanced at his watch. “Good. I have another appointment. Let Zhong Yong drive you back to the Academy.”
He had allowed half an hour for this meeting, yet after seeing the real Wen Ying he had unconsciously chatted for over an hour. Now Xie Yuping had to leave.
“Goodbye, Uncle Xie!”
Wen Ying did not cling. She stood up and followed Zhong Yong out.
After leaving the tea house, Zhong Yong several times wanted to remind her to watch her boundaries. Realising he was only a secretary and should not second-guess the leader’s thoughts, he held back. In the end his warning became a simple instruction. “The leader does not keep his phone on him twenty-four hours a day. Sometimes he has to switch it off for meetings. If anything comes up, call me first. My phone is never off.”
“Understood. Thank you, Secretary Zhong!”
Wen Ying agreed readily, leaving Zhong Yong unsure whether she truly grasped the nuance.
The Academy was only a few hundred metres diagonally across the road from the tea house. Since Xie Yuping had said to see her back, Zhong Yong would not cut corners.
Wen Ying reached the gate at exactly ten o’clock.
She entered as He Xin walked out.
“Teacher He.”
Wen Ying greeted her proactively.
Under the streetlights, He Xin’s face remained blank. Not only did she ignore the greeting, she deliberately stepped aside.
Wen Ying was baffled.
Had she stepped in dog mess crossing the road? Was she about to stink He Xin out?
Wen Ying had no interest in pressing a warm face against a cold arse. She turned and walked into the campus, leaving He Xin standing alone, frowning deeply at the building diagonally across the road.
The same building contained not only the tea house but two hotels as well.
Late at night, Wen Ying emerging from a hotel with a man… He Xin was simply speechless!
Wen Ying remained blissfully unaware.
When she returned to the dormitory, Mu Fan, Shui Mingyue, and the others were in full swing and dragged her back into the conversation.
The topic had turned to film and television adaptations.
Shui Mingyue had already sold film rights to two of her books, but for some reason the production companies that bought them had not started shooting, leaving her anxious.
Mu Fan was completely unfazed. One of his books had been adapted, and the final product was so far from the novel that readers had cursed it to high heaven.
Mu Fan comforted Shui Mingyue. “Just wait quietly. Filming too quickly isn’t necessarily good. Whether it gets made at all, and how well, is completely out of our hands as authors. It’s pure luck!”
He then reminded Wen Ying not to sell her film rights casually.
Wen Ying nodded vigorously. “I’ll be very careful!”
Mu Fan suddenly remembered Wen Ying was also a screenwriter and instantly grew envious. “The company that buys your rights might even invite you to adapt it yourself. Screenwriters have little say, but at least you can protect the essence of your own work.”
What could Wen Ying say?
Could she admit she would never sell the film rights?
If her books were ever adapted, she would handle the knife herself.
Better not say it and upset everyone.
Wen Ying did not forget to drum up some business for Tianjiao. “Being the screenwriter does have advantages. I know quite a few people in film companies. If any of you need introductions, I can help connect you!”
Any copyrights Tianjiao couldn’t swallow, Jiaxin could take.
Wen Ying secretly rejoiced. This training session had been well worth it. If she hadn’t come, how else would she have met so many writers?
