Chapter 71

"Life is familiar, I am Gu Yongsheng."

The post title was just nine characters long. Liu Jingteng thought for a moment, then placed his hands on the keyboard: "After the white hair, the discussion rises, readers get emotional when reading, which is the virtue of the author's writing. The story rises and falls, the characters experience joy and sorrow, if they like it, they read it, if they don't like it, they abandon it. Whether they understand me or blame me, it's all about the story, not the parents. This chaotic talk starts from emotional writing, there is no right or wrong, nor does it need to be decided, it's just a matter of different perspectives. In ten days, I will write a new story with love as the theme, to clear up doubts."

Liu Jingteng didn't write such four-six sentences just to show off, but out of habit. After reading a novel for a long time, one's writing and even speech can be influenced. This post, less than 130 characters, could be condensed into one sentence: "Bro, I'm going to release a new book in ten days!"

After re-reading it to ensure there were no typos, he decisively clicked to publish, then exited the forum, turned off the computer, and threw himself onto the bed.

...

Yi Shui'an and a female editor from "The Great Jianghu" were assigned to the same room. The young editor's nickname was "Qinghuaci," with a round face, delicate and shy.

Qinghuaci's mood was a bit complex, a mix of excitement, tension, and enthusiasm. She was excited and enthusiastic because she could share a room with her idol, Yi Shui'an. She was also nervous for the same reason, as Yi Shui'an now had another identity—the chief editor of "The Great Jianghu," her direct superior.

Moreover, according to rumors, the chief editor had just gone through a breakup, which made her feel even more uneasy when interacting with her.

"Chief Editor, do you want to take a shower first?" Qinghuaci asked carefully.

Yi Shui'an seemed to notice the girl's nervousness and smiled, shaking her head. "I talked with Gu Yongsheng on the car all the way, I want to sit for a while. You can use the bathroom first."

Qinghuaci nodded and opened her large suitcase to take out her toiletries. Even for a short trip, girls always pack a lot, and now, being so far away, it was even more so.

Yi Shui'an walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, sat on the sofa, and propped her chin with her left hand, quietly looking out the window. She seemed to be thinking about something, and her expression gradually turned somber. She sighed softly, then looked at the glass table in front of her, where a purple clay teapot was placed. She picked it up and examined it. The literary critics had long commented on Yi Shui'an's "fetishism," and she herself was open about it.

"I am still fascinated by the subtle parts of everything, but not necessarily to possess them completely. It doesn't matter if they are luxurious. As long as they can bring joy, there is no difference between simple and luxurious clothes. Moreover, it doesn't matter what others think."

Yi Shui'an observed for a moment, then ran her fingers over the teapot. Although it was a replica, its shape was exquisite. In such a distant hotel, it was rare to see such a craft.

The sound of water in the bathroom had stopped. After a while, Qinghuaci came out, rubbing her hair with a towel. "Chief Editor, I'm done."

Yi Shui'an turned to look at her. "Come and sit for a while."

Qinghuaci tied her hair up with a towel and walked to the window, sitting opposite Yi Shui'an. Although she had attended many topic meetings with Chief Editor Yi, this was a unique experience to sit face-to-face alone.

"You have very good hair quality," Yi Shui'an said calmly, looking at Qinghuaci's slightly damp hair.

Qinghuaci blushed slightly. "My mother's hair is like this too."

After a brief conversation, Yi Shui'an asked some casual questions about life and work. As the conversation deepened, Qinghuaci's nervousness gradually disappeared. When the topic turned to love, she hesitated. "Chief Editor, I heard that you..."

"Break up with your boyfriend?" Yi Shui'an finished for her.

Qinghuaci nodded and said softly, "I'm sorry."

Yi Shui'an smiled. "It's fine. It happened twelve days ago."

Qinghuaci thought for a moment. "I can't tell that Chief Editor has such problems." She smiled awkwardly and continued, "I've also had a falling out with my boyfriend recently, and I feel really bad. So I'm curious, what do you usually do to adjust your emotions?"

"What kind of problems, generally?"

"Little things in life. This time, it was because he forgot to buy me a gift for the Mid-Autumn Festival."

Yi Shui'an smiled. "Common, but not a fundamental issue."

"Fundamental?"

"Regarding the relationship between men and women, the first thing to determine is whether both have the same vision for the future. If two people have completely different views on the future, this relationship is bound to have no future. For girls, it's important to try to get rid of the idea that men should lead the relationship. Take advantage of your youth to read more and participate in various activities to increase your experience and knowledge. Be clear about what you want."

Qinghuaci nodded repeatedly, silently agreeing with the advice. If someone else had said this, she would have thought it was just general advice, but coming from her idol Yi Shui'an, it had a different meaning. Moreover, since their experiences were somewhat similar, she found the advice particularly convincing.

"I'll go wash up, and we can continue talking later."

Yi Shui'an stood up, and Qinghuaci followed. "I'll go online."

As an editor of "The Great Jianghu," the things she had to do online were to log into WC, log into microblogging, and open the Jianghu People forum. However, since they were on a trip, she didn't need to log into WC. So, Qinghuaci skillfully entered the Jianghu People forum, intending to check if the discussion about Gu Yongsheng had calmed down. However, the top post of the day was posted by Gu Yongsheng himself.

"Life is familiar, I am Gu Yongsheng."

Qinghuaci clicked on the post in disbelief, reading Gu Yongsheng's declaration-like announcement.

"Ten days later, I will try my hand again!"

Although she was just a small editor, she could feel the power and significance of Gu Yongsheng's post. The post had already received nearly a thousand replies in just an hour, showing its influence.

The content of the post was very clear: Gu Yongsheng was openly declaring that he would release a new work in ten days, as a response to the criticism that "Gu Yongsheng, who doesn't understand love, should leave the writing circle."

Gu Yongsheng, who was usually low-key and mysterious, suddenly posted such a bold, high-profile, and slightly provocative post at this critical moment, akin to throwing a nuclear bomb, instantly changing the tide of the forum's discussion. Almost all online forum users were replying or discussing this post.

The "everyone hates Gu Yongsheng" atmosphere that the high-level users had painstakingly created was thus forcefully suppressed. After several refreshes, the homepage was almost entirely covered by posts with titles like "Gu Yongsheng to release a new book," "Gu Yongsheng returns to the Jianghu," and "Gu Yongsheng responds."

This proved that in the face of strong power, schemes and tricks were laughable.

Of course, Liu Jingteng's ability to unexpectedly and almost perfectly turn the situation around was crucially dependent on the readers' attitude. True readers are generally more forgiving. Their focus is always on the story and the novel itself. Since Gu Yongsheng said he would release a new book, they would give him another chance. Even if the new book was unsatisfactory, they would still pay attention to the next one or the one after that.

Qinghuaci looked at the text on the screen, reading Gu Yongsheng's low-key yet powerful response, feeling a sense of pride. Yes, this is our "The Great Jianghu" author!

A sudden "clatter" startled Qinghuaci, making her cry out in surprise.

"What's wrong?" Yi Shui'an, wearing a simple and elegant white cotton dress, asked gently.

"Chief Editor," Qinghuaci pointed to the screen, "Gu Yongsheng posted on the Jianghu People forum!"

"What?" Even the calm and composed Yi Shui'an was surprised. She quickly walked to the computer, gathered her hair, and leaned over to look at the screen.

"Ten days?" Yi Shui'an frowned after reading the post. "How can he do it in ten days? What is he thinking?"

"These people are too despicable, even targeting his parents."

"What other methods would work for Gu Yongsheng?" Yi Shui'an thought for a moment. "I guess we'll have a meeting soon. This Gu Yongsheng!"

Just as Yi Shui'an finished speaking, there was a knock on the door. "Yi Shui'an, Qinghuaci, President Lu is calling you for a meeting!"

Qinghuaci stuck out her tongue at Yi Shui'an and whispered, "Chief Editor is so smart." Then she answered loudly, "Okay, we'll be right there."

...

In the temporary meeting room of the Qianhong editorial department, which was set up in President Lu Yichou's and Chief Editor Wei Wuzhi's room, all the editors who came to ride horses on the grassland were present. Everyone knew the reason for the meeting, and no one showed any dissatisfaction at the sudden work interruption during their pleasant journey. On the contrary, everyone's face was filled with excitement.

"Everyone has seen that post, right?" Lu Yichou asked with a smile.

"Seen it."

"Seen it."

"Just finished reading it."

Everyone answered in turn. Lu Yichou nodded and said, "I want to make it clear that I didn't know about this beforehand. Chief Editor Wei saw the post and told me. I was as surprised as you."

Yi Shui'an asked, "What about Gu Yongsheng?"

"I just went to his room, and he's still sleeping," Lu Yichou said, shaking his head with a smile. "I guess he doesn't know how much of a stir his few words have caused online. I won't say more. I called you here to say one thing: don't be too sure about whether Gu Yongsheng will release a new book in ten days, and don't directly deny it. If you have time to reply, focus on the personal attacks and the insults to the author's family. For the rest, just play it safe. Do you understand?"

"Understood," everyone responded loudly.

"Since he has started the fire, we will help fan it, but don't be too tense. I have already given the task to Hong, who is staying at the base. Our main task is still to enjoy ourselves."

...

"Gu Yongsheng returns to the Jianghu?" In a dormitory of a university in the central region, a bespectacled male student stared at his laptop screen, muttering to himself, "Looks like I need to change my strategy."

This college student was one of the masterminds behind the "anti-Gu Yongsheng" movement, the leader of the six-person group, with the ID "Can't Help It," a veteran of the Jianghu People forum known as the "Spit God." (To be continued. Please search for Piaowen.com for faster updates and better reading experience!)

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