Chapter 39

Xu Xiaozhong hadn't drunk plain boiled water for a long time. In the company, from the boss to a small editor, everyone drank coffee or tea. This wasn't entirely for the sake of sophistication or pretentiousness; rather, it was because they sat in front of computers for long periods, lacked effective exercise, and easily felt tired.

Of course, occasionally saying, "I don't like to add sugar or milk to my coffee" could still highlight one's quality of life.

Liu Jingtong placed a half-filled porcelain cup of water in front of Xu Xiaozhong, sat down opposite him, and casually said, "I have a contract with Qianhong. From the confident tone of your words just now, did you and Qianhong reach some kind of agreement?"

Xu Xiaozhong replied, "We have no agreement. In fact, we will never have any agreement with Qianhong. You should understand what I mean."

Liu Jingtong nodded slightly, indicating understanding. This subtle gesture extended other meanings in Xu Xiaozhong's eyes. Normally, a boy of fourteen or fifteen shouldn't have such mature actions and expressions.

"I don't know if you've really been following the news. In Jianghai City, a group of graduates from a certain school recently beat up their homeroom teacher at the school gate. They were detained by the police. When the media interviewed them, the leader of the group said he was inspired by your martial arts novels and decided to stand up for justice with his classmates."

As Xu Xiaozhong spoke, he watched Liu Jingtong's reaction without showing any emotion. Liu Jingtong smiled all along, even when he heard this clearly unfavorable news, he didn't show any indignation, which made Xu Xiaozhong secretly wary.

"Fights happen every year, don't they?" Liu Jingtong picked up the porcelain cup, took a sip of water, and smiled, shaking his head. "Moreover, from what they said, they went to beat the teacher entirely to uphold justice, which has little to do with martial arts novels, right?"

"Three men make a tiger, and many mouths can melt gold," Xu Xiaozhong was very cautious in his choice of words. "The media seized on this point and made a big fuss. Parents and teachers attacked us collectively. Some radical parents even formed groups to burn your books at street corners, claiming it was a 'tobacco destruction movement.'"

"Burning again..." Liu Jingtong laughed. "It seems the book burning movement by Qin Shi Huang really left a deep impression. But what does 'tobacco destruction' mean?"

"They say your books are like opium," Xu Xiaozhong controlled his tone reasonably, showing a dismissive and indifferent attitude when he said this.

"Since that's the case, why are you still coming to me? Aren't you worried about getting burned?"

Xu Xiaozhong was again surprised that the other party didn't get angry at this news but instead keenly noticed the peculiarity of his visit today. He naturally wasn't panicked; he had encountered such on-the-spot changes many times during negotiations.

"We have a way to suppress this public opinion wave."

"Doesn't Qianhong have the public relations capability to handle this?"

Xu Xiaozhong smiled appropriately. "You know they published a magazine called 'Grass on the Plain' last month, right?"

Liu Jingtong nodded. "Edited by Han Shuo."

"Right, that one. But you should know that Han Shuo's identity is very sensitive in certain departments. Since he became famous, under the deliberate operation of Lu Yichou, he was shaped into an opinion leader. He uses his pen as a sword to criticize social ills, often making innovative statements to attract attention. So, his current identity is very sensitive in certain departments."

In Guilin, Liu Jingtong had some contact with Han Shuo and found that Han Shuo's personality was completely different from his writing. He was gentle and polite, making it hard for people to dislike him.

"I've read his previous articles. To be honest, I quite like them. Regardless of whether they are right or wrong, at least he thinks independently."

"This is naturally a matter of personal opinion, but that's not the point I want to make. I want to say that because of his sensitive identity, the magazine 'Grass on the Plain' hasn't been able to apply for an ISSN. The previous issue was published as a book, which, to some extent, is an illegal act."

Liu Jingtong had heard this term in another world. He knew that the relevant departments strictly controlled magazine ISSNs, so he wasn't surprised that 'Grass on the Plain' hadn't obtained one. What he found strange was how this related to him.

Liu Jingtong didn't ask this question but looked at Xu Xiaozhong with a puzzled expression.

Xu Xiaozhong explained, "If they want to continue publishing the magazine, they must apply for an ISSN before the next issue comes out. Unfortunately, at this critical moment, your incident happened, so..." Xu Xiaozhong ended his explanation with a regretful expression.

Liu Jingtong said sarcastically, "My incident, no one really thinks it's my issue, right?"

Xu Xiaozhong was about to speak, but Liu Jingtong interrupted, "And, to be honest, I really admire you."

"Admire me?" Xu Xiaozhong looked elegantly puzzled.

"This is very obvious. High school students fighting, the media attributing the root cause to novels—only a competitor could come up with such a tactic. Looking at the current publishing industry, the landscape is very clear: one superpower and two strong players. Yellow River Literature is the undisputed leader, Qianhong and Zhuoyu each have their strengths. Who else would dare to openly dig into Qianhong's people? The answer is clear—it's you."

Despite gradually raising his guard when he met this young boy, he was still deeply shocked by the other party's analysis.

Xu Xiaozhong's face changed slightly, and he coughed. "This is baseless slander."

Liu Jingtong shrugged. "This is a reasonable inference."

Xu Xiaozhong calmed down, lightly tapping the porcelain cup with his finger, producing a crisp "ding" sound, causing ripples in the water.

"Every industry has its deep waters, which many people try to avoid. Why do you need to test the waters yourself? And now, there's a powerful yacht in front of you. If you're willing, you can stand on the yacht and leisurely cross this deep water. Why not? Don't you think so?" By saying this, Xu Xiaozhong was essentially admitting to the matter.

Liu Jingtong found it absurd. "So, you are confident that Qianhong will choose between the magazine's ISSN and me?"

Xu Xiaozhong didn't answer, which was an acknowledgment.

"You want to use this method to poach me or Han Shuo? I'm sorry, but I don't think I'm overestimating myself."

"Not at all, not at all. In fact, our President Xue, as well as President Cui and President Mo, all admire you very much. You can also evaluate it yourself. If you join us, you will enjoy the most comprehensive author care program in the industry, have the most professional editorial team, and most importantly, every one of your works will receive the maximum benefit."

"Before I came, President Xue hinted to me that if you agree to join us, one day you can also become the editor-in-chief of a magazine, like him and Han Shuo."

The conditions Xu Xiaozhong offered were irresistibly tempting to any author, so after saying this, he had a very confident expression.

"If you had approached me alone and offered these conditions, I would have seriously considered them. After all, I am a very ordinary person. I could even wait until my contract with Qianhong expires and then cooperate with you. But," Liu Jingtong pursed his lips, "but you used such dirty tactics. I can't possibly agree to your proposal. You can call me hypocritical, whatever you like."

Xu Xiaozhong was taken aback and reminded him, "You may not have personally followed the news, or you may not fully understand our strength. If you refuse to cooperate with us this time, the consequences will be very hard to accept."

Liu Jingtong smiled brightly and stood up. "That's not necessary. At worst, I'll post my writing online for everyone to read for free."

Seeing that the other party was sending him off, Xu Xiaozhong didn't continue sitting. He stood up, looked at Liu Jingtong, and said incredulously, "This is a matter of your future. I think you should discuss it with your family."

Liu Jingtong smiled but said nothing, clearly indicating that he was sending him off.

Xu Xiaozhong wanted to say a few more threatening words, but seeing the boy's indifferent expression, he knew it was futile. Whether in mockery or helplessness, he laughed lightly and turned to leave.

...

"Those who can write books are not fools. They will have their own judgment and choose what is most beneficial to them. They have their own scales," Xue Muliang held his phone in his left hand and a cup of coffee in his right, leisurely pacing in his office while talking to Mo Yuyu.

"Okay, I understand. Don't worry, Sister Mo."

Xue Muliang hung up, took a sip of coffee, and walked out of his office, asking the editors who were buried in their work, "Has Xiaozhong come back yet?"

An editor immediately answered, "Not yet."

Before the words "Not yet" had even finished, Xu Xiaozhong walked in. Seeing his expression, Xue Muliang frowned and asked, "Didn't it work?"

Xu Xiaozhong nodded worriedly, and Xue Muliang's face darkened as he turned and walked back into his office.

...

Three hours after Liu Jingtong met Xu Xiaozhong, he went to the city to meet Lu Yichou. This time, they didn't go to the tea city or Starbucks; they met at the first square in the city center. The two of them strolled around the square, talking as they walked.

As soon as Lu Yichou saw Liu Jingtong, he immediately expressed his apologies and firmly stated that he would handle the matter quickly.

"The people from 'Ding Novel' came to talk to me," Liu Jingtong said casually. "You can probably guess what they talked about, so I won't repeat it. I only care about one thing: can the story continue?"

"Why not?" Lu Yichou suddenly stopped, turned to look at Liu Jingtong, and said with absolute certainty, "Nothing can stop you from completing this story."

"However..." Liu Jingtong calmly looked back at Lu Yichou, waiting for his turn.

Sure enough, Lu Yichou huffed angrily. "The serialization of 'Seven Swords' might have to be paused for a few issues."