Li Mengjiao glanced at Wen Ying then at Xie Qian.
“It’s just to watch a final cut do you still need Xie Qian’s approval?”
Sister early romance isn’t shameful but having such a low status won’t do!
Rongcheng’s custom has always been that women call the shots. No matter how handsome Xie Qian is he can’t break the rules of a Rongcheng son-in-law~
Li Mengjiao thought of Wen Ying’s first book about to be published got overly excited momentarily forgetting the cold and terrifying nature of the academic god. She protested Wen Ying’s act of seeking Xie Qian’s approval only for Xie Qian’s sharp glance to sweep over:
“Li Mengjiao are you very free? Got time to organise a film screening? Not enough practice papers done?”
“Huh?!”
Li the academic slacker was hit in her weak spot and began to panic: “I’m not free really! I was also asking for your approval Xie Qian Big Brother Xie God Xie I already have enough papers!”
Li Mengjiao raised her right hand in protest as her right index finger had even developed a callus from writing too much lately.
But Xie Qian remained unmoved.
If intelligence is lacking diligence must make up for it.
Qin Jiao had good grades but for the college entrance exam she even became nearsighted. What’s a little callus for Li Mengjiao?
If all ten fingers had calluses Li Mengjiao’s complaints might hold some weight.
Li Mengjiao turned to Wen Ying for help.
Wen Ying blinked desperately: Don’t count on me I can barely save myself!
—So friendship can just vanish like that?
Li Mengjiao slumped her shoulders and left dejectedly.
Wen Ying thought the matter was settled but Xie Qian suddenly turned his focus on her: “You really want to go?”
“I don’t want to go!”
Wen Ying shook her head vigorously. “I only want to study do questions and grind practice papers— Xie Qian what’s with that expression? Is ‘want to go’ or ‘don’t want to go’ the right answer?”
Wen Ying wanted to cry.
If there was any downside to her friendship with the male god becoming solid it was that she often got a close-up view of his cunning side.
Most of the time Wen Ying felt like an old auntie with an edge over Xie Qian but sometimes she had brief moments of clarity: what edge? It’s all an illusion— Xie Qian is deliberately letting her win!
Is the innate intelligence gap really impossible to bridge?
Xie Qian just a teenager could already keep an old auntie firmly in check.
“Look at you all anxious.”
Xie Qian looked away. He had just finished marking Li the slacker’s papers and now it was Wen the slacker’s turn.
Wen the slacker had made noticeable progress lately.
Constant high-pressure supervision could lead to burnout in slackers so occasional relaxation was good for mood regulation.
“If you want to go just go.”
Wen Ying’s eyes lit up at this. “You’re really letting me go? You’re not being sarcastic right?”
“Or do you want to be as free as Li Mengjiao—”
“No I’m not free I’m very busy!”
Wen Ying dashed off not giving Xie Qian a chance to say “add more papers.”
Xie Qian watched her retreating figure his expression softening instantly. Playing the cold act was tiring and thankfully Wen Ying had run off.
If Li Mengjiao hadn’t invited him and Wen Ying to see the final cut Xie Qian would still want to check it out. After all it was a “project” with three million invested. Even if not for profit he needed to know if the cost could be recovered!
—
In the blink of an eye it was June and for the third-year students the college entrance exam was down to the final days of sprinting.
The school had no strict rules but all students instinctively tread lightly when passing the third-year classrooms.
Even the noisiest students knew not to make a ruckus outside those rooms.
It was an unspoken agreement.
Today’s first- and second-years would eventually become third-years so if you consider them now others will consider you later.
In this tense atmosphere the June issue of Aige hit the stands.
The serialisation of Youth Idol seemed unaffected.
But it was hard to say for sure. When Han Qin and Wen Ying’s talks fell apart the June issue of Aige was likely already at the printers. If Han Qin wanted to pull Youth Idol at the last minute the magazine would take a big loss.
Editor-in-Chief Han wouldn’t be that reckless.
But to say it had no impact at all wasn’t true either.
Xiaoni left a message on QQ urging Wen Ying to submit the next manuscript.
Wen Ying hadn’t written much lately.
Youth Idol had reached 120000 words in the May issue and 150000 in the June issue. Wen Ying had given Xiaoni a draft up to 180000 words and the unpublished 30000 words were enough for the July issue of Aige.
Before the publishing contract talks Wen Ying planned to focus on writing after final exams submitting August’s draft in July—a normal practice that Xiaoni had agreed to. But now Xiaoni had changed her tune sounding a bit urgent on QQ.
—This tone doesn’t sound like Xiaoni!
Zou Weijun planned to publish Youth Idol in August and Wen Ying wasn’t sure if she still needed to submit drafts.
As the saying goes you never know who’s behind the screen. Wen Ying wasn’t afraid to assume the worst about some people’s limits.
Wen Ying wasn’t a pushover. With a flick of her hand she sent a video call request.
It was June 2005 and QQ had long supported video chats—thanks to Papa Ma’s tech!
Wen Ying gave herself a pat for her quick thinking. “Xiaoni” didn’t accept the video call and instead typed a few question marks in the chat.
“Typing’s too slow let’s talk on video!”
Wen Ying sent this reply but “Xiaoni” hung up the video call.
“At work not convenient!”
Not convenient or too scared to accept the video?
Wen Ying smiled and ignored “Xiaoni’s” urging for the draft.
Wen Ying called Zou Weijun to tell her about it and Zou was a bit anxious: “You didn’t send the draft right?”
“No why would I? I’m familiar with Xiaoni’s tone and I even suspect the person at the computer isn’t her.”
Zou Weijun breathed a sigh of relief.
“Good you didn’t send it. Your suspicion isn’t baseless. My talks with Aige haven’t gone smoothly. Han Qin finally believes I’ve signed a publishing contract with you but now she refuses to communicate with me. Your Youth Idol serialisation in the magazine might get axed—”
After her fallout with Han Qin Wen Ying had anticipated this possibility.
Han Qin didn’t like being rejected.
Wen Ying’s refusal had made Han Qin lose face.
Zou Weijun had initially planned to negotiate with Aige in good faith.
After the June issue of Aige Youth Idol still had half its draft unpublished—150000 words left. Zou wanted Aige to print a bit more per issue and wrap up in three or four more issues so the serialisation would end just as the book hit shelves maintaining momentum. If Aige was willing to compromise the book could be delayed to October or November. But with Han refusing to talk Zou who had her own pride set Youth Idol for an August release.
With the book out whether readers followed the serialisation was no longer Zou’s concern. Han Qin’s refusal to communicate was mostly to blame!
Zou felt a bit embarrassed discussing this thinking it put Wen Ying in a tough spot but Wen Ying was calm: “If the person using Xiaoni’s QQ to chat with me was Editor-in-Chief Han I’d rather let Youth Idol’s serialisation get axed. Refusing to talk with you while trying to get my draft—what’s Han Qin up to?”
