Chapter 16

The occurrence of feelings often happens in an instant. Once that moment passes, everything that follows is merely a deeper accumulation. If one tries to recall it forcefully, it becomes elusive, as if it had always been that way.

For example, the literary girl Mi Hu, when she first saw "The Dragon and Tiger Battle in Jinghua," she might have already become curious about the author. Then a series of events followed: the forum controversy, the departure of Editor Kuang, the conversation in the pavilion, and of course, that unforgettable kiss.

In short, in her heart, she could no longer view Liu Jington as just a pure author. Initially, because of his young age and the absence of those typical teenage issues, she could naturally treat him like a complete kid, cooking for him, giving him a computer, and a phone. The age difference meant she didn't have to bear any psychological burden, feeling that what she did was purely out of kindness, with no connection to romantic relationships.

However, Liu Jington was far from being a 100% kid. Behind his seemingly naive and thin body, there lay a brilliant soul. His insights into literature were always incisive, and although his works were not numerous, every punctuation mark revealed overflowing talent.

His harmless appearance and profound inner wisdom were perfectly unified in him. How could such a unique individual be easily forgotten?

Mi Hu hugged a large teddy bear, lying on the bed with a serene look. Just now, that little brat, under her coercion, mysteriously sent her eight words: "First love, please guide me."

What kind of nonsensical words were these? Only his wild imagination could come up with such a strange sentence. Mi Hu's lips curved into a sweet smile as she turned to look out the window. The spring night was gradually warming, and the lights of countless homes still shone.

"Brat, I'm also in my first love, how can I guide you?"

Mi Hu found this question very amusing. In her heart, she knew that this "first love" with Liu Jington was different from traditional relationships. No matter how mature, composed, and wise Liu Jington appeared, the sense of closeness she felt when with him always had a hint of a sister-brother relationship.

But, she was ultimately very happy, feeling the joy of a successful prank. And, Liu Jington would grow up eventually.

...

Liu Jington was still young, but Xue Muliang had already grown up.

At thirteen, he published his first poem in a youth newspaper, a poem about spring. At seventeen, he won the second New Type Essay Competition and published his first collection of essays, "Autumn Equinox," the same year.

In reality, this debut collection did not cause much of a stir, selling only about 3,000 copies, mainly due to his New Type champion status. What truly changed his fate was the short fantasy novel "Second Space" he published in the New Type magazine. The novel, once released, sparked heated discussions. A perceptive editor personally approached him, and he expanded the short story into a full-length novel. Seven months later, the full-length version of "Second Space" was released to great fanfare.

Upon its release, "Second Space" received overwhelming praise, emerging as a dark horse and ranking second at the annual book fair. In just three months, it sold 500,000 copies, with some readers even copying it by hand because they couldn't buy it.

At the same time, the book caught the attention and praise of some senior experts, sparking a "Second Space" phenomenon.

Xue Muliang became an overnight sensation, and his previously obscure collection of essays also became a bestseller.

This experience made Xue Muliang deeply realize the importance of brand and reputation. From then on, he maintained a steady pace of publishing while also focusing on building his image and the "Xue Muliang" brand. After entering university, he started a magazine, founded his own company, and signed and discovered authors, eventually building a vast publishing empire.

Throughout his journey, he received continuous praise and accolades, but controversy and doubts never ceased. However, no matter what, as he himself said, everything became a stepping stone for him to reach the pinnacle.

He once wrote in his column that now, sitting in a Mercedes-Benz, he could no longer remember what it was like to ride a bicycle. When drinking coffee at Starbucks, he could no longer recall the afternoon when he ate a 50-cent ice lollipop.

So, he had grown up.

The grown-up Xue Muliang was now sitting in his office, legs crossed in a successful person's pose, his right elbow resting on the desk, his fist lightly supporting his gaunt face. His eyes radiated confidence as he stared at a long-haired, elegant woman sitting across from him.

"Mr. Xue, what tone should this interview take, serious or humorous?" the long-haired woman asked with a smile.

Xue Muliang rarely smiled, but he said, "Add a bit of ambiguity."

"Ah?"

Xue Muliang said, "Haven't there been rumors that I've been lingering around your building several times?"

The long-haired woman covered her mouth and laughed, and Xue Muliang's smile faded as he said, "The main focus is still on my new book, but we can add some gossip to make it more interesting."

The long-haired woman, seeing her boss's serious expression, nodded and said, "Let's start then."

"Still feels a bit strange," the long-haired woman was about to start the interview but couldn't help laughing. She leaned forward to adjust her emotions, sat up straight, and said, "Should I call you Mr. Xue or A Liang?" A Liang is what fans call Xue Muliang.

"Call me A Liang."

"Okay, let's start with your new book. Although you've discussed the idea with me, I still need to ask how 'Sad Forest' differs from your previous works? What kind of characters are the protagonists?"

"First, the biggest difference is maturity, both in technique and writing. Of course, the most important is my current situation and mindset. When I look back at my first book, I can recall my feelings at the time, but those feelings will never return. For example, the male protagonist in my current book can no longer be a boy drinking a 2-yuan soda. Even if he does, it would be for a specific reason or to look cool."

"For example, approaching a heroine from a poor background. Is this because you can't find that feeling anymore, or you don't want to repeat the same character setup?"

"That's inevitable. When I write about love, I want the heroine to be perfect. Her background is not my focus. She can be a wealthy young lady or an ordinary girl with ambition. Her perfection is not directly related to these factors. A wealthy young lady can be admired, and an ordinary girl's perfection can be shown through her partner. It's a common technique."

The long-haired woman lowered her head to take notes and then said, "Is the perfection you describe just a facade? Based on your description, the relationships between the characters in this book involve too many interests, making this perfection impure."

Xue Muliang chuckled and said, "That's not important. I want to create a feeling. At least, readers should aspire to the protagonist's lifestyle and feel a sense of immersion. I don't like ugly things. My personality limits me from dealing with them, even though I know they exist. Exposing ugliness is your style."

This long-haired woman was Shen You, one of the most popular female authors in "Ding Novel," known for her serious literary style, which is why Xue Muliang made the above comment.

The rest of their conversation revolved around Xue Muliang's new book, discussing the characteristics of bestsellers. Xue Muliang reiterated his view that "authors who write only for the market will never become famous." Finally, they lightly teased the rumors about their relationship, which was intended for the cover advertisement:

"Xue Muliang and Shen You face-to-face, first talk about their rumors, what is the truth?"

After the interview, they began the cover shoot for "Ding Novel." One of the most criticized aspects of the magazine was that its cover often featured the personal photos of its owner, Xue Muliang. This time, adding a beautiful female author made the cover even more appealing.

On the other hand, after the editor's persistent efforts, the notorious procrastinator Adam finally showed mercy and spent 40 minutes writing a last-minute article.

To maintain its top sales position, "Ding Novel" made ample preparations. According to Xue Muliang's estimates and past experiences, releasing an exclusive interview with him would almost guarantee the top spot.

However, this adjustment forced the magazine to be delayed by three more days, pushing its release to early May.

The delay had become a characteristic of "Ding Novel," and the staff and the owner were not ashamed but rather proud of it. So, when Xue Muliang announced the delay on his microblog, his tone was still boastful and playful.

Just as Xue Muliang thought his re-election was a sure thing, Liu Jington quietly submitted the 4th to 6th chapters of "Shuke and Beta" to Editor Yao.

Beta defeated Mili with a tank;

Beta left and injured a sparrow with pebbles;

Beta, driving a tank, and Shuke, flying a plane, engaged in a fierce battle.

Editor Yao quickly skimmed through the manuscript and felt a sense of excitement. After nearly ten years as an editor, he rarely felt such excitement over a manuscript. This time, it wasn't entirely due to the manuscript itself but because of the intense anticipation of the young readers.

"Children's Literature" followed Liu Jington's suggestion and created a bi-weekly digest called "Reading Frontier." It featured selected highlights from previous issues and the ongoing serialization of "Shuke and Beta."

Like the previous magazine release, there was no massive advertising or promotion. A small, elegant publication quietly appeared in bookstores across the country, right next to the long-delayed magazine king, "Ding Novel."

Bookstores put up the prepared large advertisements, with the most prominent spot reading, "Xue Muliang's 'Ding Novel' is here!"

The next advertisement read, "Shuke and Beta are here!"

[Happy Christmas!]

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