Chapter 23

"Originally, I intended to find your information indirectly, but I first saw your post on the forum, and then read the so-called statement on Weibo about 'The Great Jianghu.' It's truly baffling and disgusting," Liu Jingting said, sitting side by side with Mi Hu on a chair, leaning against the lights of the neighborhood.

"Baffling and disgusting," Mi Hu's pent-up grievances were suddenly released, and she felt unusually calm, "Is this another word you made up?"

Liu Jingting laughed and said, "It's Martian language, meaning that although I don't understand it, it feels really disgusting. By the way, did 'The Great Jianghu' really sell?"

Mi Hu nodded and sighed deeply, "My master has already resigned, and I haven't even submitted my resignation letter yet when they announced my dismissal." She gave a self-deprecating smile.

"It's not a big deal. In the future, we'll start our own magazine and be our own editors."

"You really want to start a magazine?"

"Do you think it's not possible?"

Mi Hu thought for a moment and said, "It's not impossible, but there will be a lot of tedious work to do. Aren't you afraid it will affect your writing time?"

"That's why I'll have you be the editor-in-chief."

Mi Hu gave him a glare, half in anger and half in amusement, and said, "Oh, so your meaning is, the trouble, I'll handle; the money, you'll take?"

Liu Jingting laughed heartily and said, "We'll share the profits."

After this incident, their relationship deepened even further, and a sense of greater intimacy permeated their playful banter. Both of them felt it, but neither could express it.

"However, this can't be rushed. Right now, we have neither people nor money. Most importantly, I haven't reached the legal age to register a company. We need a shell company to start a magazine, right?" As he said this, Liu Jingting seemed to think of something and laughed, "Register a company, become a general manager, become a CEO, marry a rich and beautiful woman, and reach the pinnacle of life. It's quite exciting to think about it."

"First of all..." Mi Hu tapped a few times and added, "You need to get your ID card."

"I'm just daydreaming, putting the plan on hold for now."

"Alright, um, about a serious matter, did you see the message I left you? From now on, your manuscripts will be handled by Tang Nan. I've already forwarded the ten chapters of 'Seven Swords' to him."

Liu Jingting frowned and said, "It's a bit rushed, isn't it?"

"What do you mean?"

"They treated you like this, I don't want to cooperate with them anymore."

"That statement was a direct order from the headquarters, done by the public relations department. It has little to do with the magazine. My colleagues are all upset for me, but I don't really care. It just makes my internship resume look a bit worse, but I don't need it anymore."

Liu Jingting stared into the darkness, pondering for a while, and said, "This isn't something to be indifferent about. They need to apologize to you. Since they defamed you in the name of 'The Great Jianghu,' the magazine should be the one to apologize."

"'The Great Jianghu' now belongs to Qianhong. They won't want to apologize as their first act after taking over the magazine. Forget it, just focus on your writing and don't worry about these things."

Liu Jingting smiled, unsure, and asked, "When are you going back to school?"

"Next week, I still have some things to handle here, like checking out of the apartment and finishing up work."

Liu Jingting nodded slightly and said, "It's getting late, I need to go home."

Mi Hu finally realized this and hurriedly got up, asking, "Have you eaten yet?"

Liu Jingting smiled and nodded.

"Then let's go get some skewers. Wait for me downstairs while I change clothes."

Five or six minutes later, Mi Hu came down wearing a light blue jacket and a shoulder bag. As soon as she stepped out of the building, she said to Liu Jingting, "I remembered your payment is still with me."

Liu Jingting got up from the chair, dusted off his clothes, and said, "Are you hinting that I should return your computer and phone?"

Mi Hu walked up to him, patted Liu Jingting, and said, "Don't judge a sister by a kid's standards."

They chatted for a long time, maintaining a calm and serious tone. A joke from Mi Hu slightly lightened the atmosphere.

"The payment for 'The Dragon and Tiger Battle in Jinghua' is about 20,000 yuan, plus the royalties, it could directly lead to a well-off life. The chief editor even proposed buying the copyright of the book, but it didn't get done in time."

Liu Jingting, perhaps out of a writer's reluctance to talk about money, wasn't particularly interested in this topic. He clutched his stomach and said, "Let's make our stomachs well-off first."

...

Lu Yichou first saw the name "Gu Yongsheng" in the May issue of 'The Great Jianghu' not long ago. The serialized novel 'The Dragon and Tiger Battle in Jinghua' left a deep impression on him. However, when negotiating the contract with the old 'The Great Jianghu,' he didn't specifically mention Gu Yongsheng or his work but quietly listed him among the authors. After acquiring the magazine, he immediately retrieved Gu Yongsheng's contract, only to be disappointed that Gu Yongsheng had only signed for one book, and his editor, Mi Hu, was openly opposing the magazine at the time of the takeover.

In fact, when he learned that Gu Yongsheng was associated with the new genius fairy tale author Liu Jingting, Lu Yichou, out of his business instincts, instantly thought of at least three sets of promotion and operation plans. Unfortunately, Mi Hu's editor firmly denied the connection, and 'Children's Literature' publicly stated they were unaware of it. The authors, whether Liu Jingting or Gu Yongsheng, remained silent, with no response from either.

Having a perfect "all-around genius" material but no way to refine it left Lu Yichou, who was skilled in this area, quite frustrated.

However, the editorial department of 'The Great Jianghu' managed to obtain the opening chapters of Gu Yongsheng's new book. Although only ten chapters, their brilliance left even this veteran of the publishing industry overjoyed.

Lu Yichou took out his fountain pen (a long-standing hobby or quirk) and began listing his ideas in a notebook:

1. Personally meet with Gu Yongsheng, sign a long-term contract, and develop a comprehensive promotion plan.

2. Stop the serialization of 'The Dragon and Tiger Battle in Jinghua' as planned, quickly publish the book, and launch it under the banner of "New School Martial Arts" to build momentum for 'Seven Swords Descend from the Mountain.'

3. Yi Shui'an will be the editor-in-chief of 'The Great Jianghu.'

4. Han Shuo will announce the magazine's name.

After writing these four points, Lu Yichou paused, lightly tapping the table, and after a moment's thought, he crossed out all four points and wrote ten words below: Sign Gu Yongsheng, hold a press conference.

With the influence of Han Shuo and Yi Shui'an, this press conference would undoubtedly be a major event in the publishing industry. There would be no need to worry about media coverage. At the time, they would use the momentum to launch 'The Dragon and Tiger Battle in Jinghua,' then invite a few experts and professors to write some critical articles, officially pushing Gu Yongsheng to the forefront.

After formulating the plan, Lu Yichou immediately called his secretary to arrange a few tasks, then called Tang Nan, asking him to help arrange a meeting with Gu Yongsheng.

When Tang Nan received the call from his new boss, he was slightly excited and nervous. He was excited because Lu Yichou was a well-known figure in the industry, and the call at this sensitive time suggested he might have an important task. He was nervous because, at this sensitive time, he might be told to pack his things and leave.

Only after Lu Yichou explained the situation did he relax, but he was also puzzled. Why did Lu Yichou place such high regard on Gu Yongsheng?

After Mi Hu resigned, Gu Yongsheng, as a signed author of the magazine, was transferred to him. Mi Hu also forwarded ten chapters of a five-star manuscript to him. Such a five-star manuscript needed to be directly submitted to the editor-in-chief for review, but since Yi Shui'an hadn't taken over yet, Tang Nan had to email the manuscript to Lu Yichou.

Meeting Gu Yongsheng? The first thought that came to Tang Nan's mind after receiving this task was to call Mi Hu, as he hadn't yet contacted Gu Yongsheng. Additionally, he had read 'The Dragon and Tiger Battle in Jinghua' and felt that the author was very profound, which made him feel some inexplicable pressure, leading him to subconsciously delay the task.

After hanging up with Lu Yichou, Tang Nan called Mi Hu. The first call went unanswered, but the second one was picked up. What surprised him was that Mi Hu's tone was relaxed and carefree, as if the dismissal had no impact on her.

"What's up, Brother Nan?"

"Um... President Lu Yichou of Qianhong Company wants to meet Gu Yongsheng in person. I was thinking..."

"Let me help you arrange it?" Mi Hu interjected.

"Yes."

"He's right in front of me. We're having skewers. I'll give him the phone, you can talk to him directly." Mi Hu said nonchalantly.

Tang Nan was taken aback and instinctively looked at his watch. Before he could refuse, he heard the phone buzz for a moment, then Mi Hu's voice, "Someone's looking for you," followed by a young voice in the midst of puberty, "Hello, I'm Gu Yongsheng."

"Hello, I'm Tang Nan, taking over Mi Hu's work." Hearing such a young voice, Tang Nan's initial pressure was significantly reduced.

"Um, Mi Hu told me the contract for 'The Dragon and Tiger Battle in Jinghua' has been signed. You can pay me the royalties and advances as per the contract. I'm still eating, do you have anything else?"

Liu Jingting wasn't deliberately targeting Tang Nan but was expressing a stance to 'The Great Jianghu.'

Tang Nan's initial pressure suddenly returned in full force. The voice was young, but the personality was so assertive.

"Actually, our new boss, President Lu Yichou of Qianhong, wants to meet you in person. When would be a convenient time for you?"

"Actually, I saw 'The Great Jianghu' defame and slander my editor, Mi Hu, online. I'm sure you saw it too. Please convey to them that Mi Hu's statements were entirely my idea and instructions. I hope 'The Great Jianghu' can issue a formal and sincere written apology."

Liu Jingting's overwhelming sense of justice made him unable to ignore the委屈 Mi Hu had suffered because of him. The famous works in his mind gave him the confidence to challenge these cultural businessmen.

Tang Nan was hesitant. He heard Mi Hu trying to stop him and hoped she would change Gu Yongsheng's mind. However, the next words from Gu Yongsheng dashed his hopes. "If they think this is inappropriate, I will try other methods. Thank you for your trouble."

【Wishing you a happy new year, may everything go smoothly and prosperously!】

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