Chapter 19

Mihu seemed not to understand the meaning of the words, looking at Liu Jington and responding with a questioning "hmm."

Liu Jington's tone was somewhat lazy as he said, "Once any story takes shape, it has its own life. It needs to face the keen eyes of readers, the sharp and biting sarcasm or ridicule of critics and reviewers. In a sense, it no longer has anything to do with the author."

"Then what?" Mihu asked with a serious face.

"A wise man once made a metaphor: if you like eating eggs, why do you have to care about the chicken that laid them?"

"Don't beat around the bush with me. What did you mean by not cooperating?"

"Not cooperating," Liu Jington sighed lightly, "means I will breach the contract."

"Liu Jington!" Mihu's face tightened, her eyes blazing, "What do you mean by that?"

Liu Jington's smile faded as he said, "I clearly told you that Liu Jington and Gu Yongsheng should not be involved. Yet you still came to persuade me, which means only one thing: your editor-in-chief gave you a strict order. In that case, how can we cooperate?"

Mihu was speechless.

"Don't think I'm being pretentious or arrogant. It's just a matter of trust. I don't want to put you in a difficult position."

"You, you can't afford the breach of contract fee," Mihu, whose thoughts were a bit muddled, suddenly said.

Liu Jington laughed bitterly, "I'll talk directly to your editor-in-chief. You being in the middle just adds to the trouble."

"You know I'm on your side, why say such hurtful things?"

After a moment of silence, Mihu asked softly, "What are you really holding onto?"

"I told you before, the stories in my head are gifts from God. I need to respect them. I want them to meet everyone independently, to complete their own destinies. They should be what they are. Too much human intervention will disrupt this process."

"Isn't it a promotion?" Mihu asked cautiously.

"I haven't thought about it, and I don't care. I just want to witness their rise step by step after I finish writing them, like 'Shuke and Beta.' Kids love them, and I love their love."

Mihu vaguely caught some information, but it wasn't specific enough. Of course, it didn't need to be. She just needed to be clear about one thing: Liu Jington would not compromise on Zhou's proposal!

Moreover, she subconsciously respected Liu Jington's persistence. Writers needed a bit of arrogance, which was her inherent belief. She firmly told Liu Jington, "Don't say such stupid things about not cooperating. I guarantee 'Seven Swords Descend from Tian Shan' will be published cleanly."

Liu Jington smiled silently, his eyes softening as he looked at Mihu. Mihu suddenly felt a bit uncomfortable, a purely instinctive reaction of a girl.

Liu Jington, a fourteen-year-old middle school student, a little brat in Mihu's eyes, had a maturity in his eyes that almost revealed the well-concealed shyness of the beautiful editor.

"Don't be sad. I said it directly because I believe that being honest with you and showing my bottom line is a sign of trust," Liu Jington added.

"I know. Those ten chapters, you can..."

Liu Jington interrupted with a smile, "They're already in your email. No matter what, you'll be the first reader, and that won't change."

A warm current slowly flowed through her heart. Mihu really wanted to laugh. She turned her face as if nothing had happened, secretly releasing some joy, but then heard the guy say at an inappropriate time, "Mihu, I'm so hungry."

He had given her the promised ten chapters, and Mihu couldn't back down. She took out the ingredients from the fridge, confidently saying, "Sit anywhere in the living room, I'll be done soon."

Even if Liu Jington hadn't handed over the ten chapters, she would have made this meal for him. This kind of romantic bet made both of them feel their relationship was becoming more like a real couple.

Liu Jington walked to the window, looking out at the towering skyscrapers, the crisscrossing roads, and the tireless vehicles...

A sizzling sound came from the kitchen, and Liu Jington turned and walked in.

"It smells great."

This was the second time she had seen Mihu in the kitchen. The initial surprise was gone, but a sense of warmth had taken its place. A long and healthy relationship between a man and a woman couldn't be full of constant surprises.

Mihu held a stainless steel spatula, skillfully flipping the vegetables in the pan. Liu Jington smiled and rubbed his hands, asking, "Can I take a couple of turns?"

"Get out." The kitchen queen showed no mercy.

Liu Jington laughed awkwardly, pointing at the pressure cooker and asking, "What's in there?"

"Potatoes and pork ribs," Mihu answered without looking, not feeling uncomfortable about Liu Jington's sudden appearance. Instead, she, like Liu Jington, felt a sense of warmth.

Do women cooking always hope a man will chat and help out?

During the meal, the two avoided the topic of the book's publication format. Liu Jington, out of guilt or some other reason, voluntarily gave Mihu a brief overview of a few stories. With her sharp instincts, Mihu made a rough judgment. She knew these stories, under Liu Jington's writing, would be extraordinary, but she couldn't predict the impact they would have on people's reading habits.

"A small thug and a great emperor become friends in a brothel and a palace. How does that sound?" Liu Jington asked casually while gnawing on a pork rib.

"The conflict in character status is part of the dramatic conflict, but the story is more important."

"Agreed. No matter the setting, without a good story, it's all nonsense."

...

It took nearly forty-five minutes for the two to finish their meal. After leaving Mihu's apartment, Liu Jington received a call from Editor Yao, asking for the manuscripts of chapters 7-9. Liu Jington quickly thought of the text of Shuke and Beta fighting side by side and smiled, agreeing to deliver them.

Mihu, who had failed her mission, sat in a taxi on her way to the office. She first logged into her microblog to browse the latest news. As soon as she entered the page, she saw a major piece of news: Han Shuo would launch a magazine he would personally edit, the name of which was temporarily confidential, with the launch date set for June 1st!

This news was first revealed by "Headlines," and then confirmed by Han Shuo on his microblog, stating that the magazine name had been decided and would be announced within three days.

The magazine would still be a collaboration between Han Shuo and his former company, Qianhong Cultural Development, claiming to offer the highest稿酬 in the industry, with a thousand yuan per thousand characters no longer just a promise.

The number of forwards quickly exceeded ten thousand, showcasing Han Shuo's enduring popularity. At the same time, another piece of news about Xue Muliang's interview was also being hotly discussed by netizens. A journalist with ulterior motives asked Xue Muliang what he thought of his arch-rival Han Shuo's new magazine.

Xue Muliang responded with a high degree of arrogance, saying that since he started "Ding Xiaoshuo," many had followed, and he couldn't keep track of them all.

Netizens left comments saying they were waiting for Han Shuo's response. Mihu logged out of her microblog, rubbed her temples, and suddenly thought of Liu Jington's manuscript. She logged into her email and opened Liu Jington's submission.

The story was set in the Kangxi era, opening with a suspenseful scene and featuring the surname Nalan, which added a soft and gentle tone to the Kangxi era.

"Life would be much simpler if we only met once, why must the autumn wind make the painted fan sad?"

"One life, one generation, one couple, how can they be separated? Missing each other, yet unable to be together, for whom does the sky remain spring?"

"Gambling on books and sipping tea, what seemed ordinary then is now cherished."

...

Mihu silently recited these classic lines, and the image of Liu Jington's half-smiling, childish face suddenly popped into her mind.

Why did she think of him? Mihu felt a bit embarrassed and comforted herself by thinking of him as her little boyfriend. Since she thought of him, she decided to send a text message.

"After countless TV dramas, the Qing Dynasty is arguably the most famous dynasty today, perhaps the only one. Aren't you afraid of being criticized for setting your story in this era?"

After waiting for two minutes without a reply, she felt inexplicably annoyed and angrily put her phone in her pocket. After a while, she couldn't resist taking it out again. Still no reply. Just as she was about to vent her frustration, her phone vibrated, and a message finally came.

Mihu didn't immediately open it but calmly put the phone back in her pocket, as if punishing the little brat.

"History is just a nail to hang a novel on. In reality, no one has personally experienced history, so even if ten thousand people criticize me, I'm okay with it."

"Arrogant brat!" Mihu replied with two words, mixing Chinese and English, thinking it was funny. Her lips involuntarily curled into a crescent moon.

"Here we are," the driver called out, interrupting Mihu's reverie. She was about to play the role of a reverse lobbyist for her little boyfriend.

...

Han Shuo quickly responded to Xue Muliang, using his usual humorous and sharp tone: "Magazines have been around for a long time. Speaking of following trends, we are all followers. Besides, I started my career earlier than him. Who is following whom, shouldn't we clarify that?"

Han Shuo had published and gained fame earlier than Xue Muliang, so he had the confidence and basis to say this. Xue Muliang's response was, "Let's see who sells more. Who's afraid of who?"

Han Shuo replied with the same words: "Who's afraid of who?"

The two representatives of youth literature engaged in a virtual dialogue and declaration of war through the media and the internet, setting the stage for the upcoming Children's Day battle.

...

Han Shuo quickly responded to Xue Muliang, using his usual humorous and sharp tone: "Magazines have been around for a long time. Speaking of following trends, we are all followers. Besides, I started my career earlier than him. Who is following whom, shouldn't we clarify that?"

Han Shuo had published and gained fame earlier than Xue Muliang, so he had the confidence and basis to say this. Xue Muliang's response was, "Let's see who sells more. Who's afraid of who?"

Han Shuo replied with the same words: "Who's afraid of who?"

The two representatives of youth literature engaged in a virtual dialogue and declaration of war through the media and the internet, setting the stage for the upcoming Children's Day battle.