Chapter 85

As a representative work of Mr. Gu Long's peak period, *Xiao Shiyi Lang* holds a very high status. Many martial arts fans and even critics consider this book to be Gu Long's best, believing that the characters and story in this book have reached the pinnacle. Many discerning male readers even regard this book as a bible for pursuing girls.

In that world, Liu Jingtong was already an upright person, one who had transcended low-level interests. His motivation for reading books had always been very pure. Therefore, when that lecherous classmate told him with a perverted look that the book described a scene where a beautiful woman was bathing and was then seduced by the protagonist, he did not immediately read such a book—he only borrowed it from his classmate the next day.

"I've seen the TV series before, I've always wanted to read the original, don't misunderstand."

Many martial arts fans know that *Xiao Shiyi Lang* is a unique book that was first a movie script and then a novel. Mr. Gu Long explicitly mentioned this in the preface of the novel and explained that the story had been brewing in his mind for a long time, and the original intention was indeed to write a novel.

After reading the book, Liu Jingtong could independently draw this conclusion. The book contained long dialogues, lacking some of the detailed scene descriptions found in novels, and some complex plot arrangements followed the three-act structure of movies. A main character led the main storyline, presenting the story in a simple and clear manner.

Readers who read a lot of books often have this feeling: after watching a movie, they always feel that it is not enough, as many parts seem too simple and direct, with thin plots and bland emotions. The reason for this is often the same.

At this point, Liu Jingtong proposed *Xiao Shiyi Lang* for two reasons. First, in the process of recommending books in the future, Mr. Gu Long was an indispensable figure. However, from *Long Hu Dou Jinghua* to *Yue Nü Jian*, *Qi Jian Xia Tian Shan*, *Bai Fa Mo Nu Zhuan*, and *Bai Ma Xiao Xi Feng*, although the language styles of these books varied, they still had a traceable path. The language of the two masters, Liang and Jin, was a blend of classical Chinese and modern vernacular, forming their own school. Although Mr. Jin Yong intentionally borrowed Western film techniques in narrative structure and scene arrangement, the essence still shared many commonalities.

As for Mr. Gu Long, apart from his early imitations, his true masterpieces, whether in language, structure, or character personality, were vastly different. After reading Liang's martial arts novels and then Jin's, one could feel the subtle differences, but these could be attributed to the author's intentional changes based on reader feedback or the natural evolution of literature. However, if readers suddenly jumped from Liang and Jin to Gu, they would certainly be confused, doubtful, and even more than just the readers.

Liu Jingtong was not afraid of doubt, but he was afraid of trouble. Therefore, to lay the groundwork for future book recommendations, he decided to introduce *Xiao Shiyi Lang*, a book with a clear Gu Long imprint, before everyone's thinking became fixed.

In the future, when Guo Jing and Huang Rong were household names, the sudden appearance of Chu Liuxiang would not seem too abrupt. At most, there would be a slight surprise, followed by a sudden realization of the thief who hummed a melancholy song many years ago, and a smile of understanding: "Mr. Gu wrote a book of this type before, nothing strange, diverse styles."

This was one of the considerations.

Second, Wang Qianqian asked Liu Jingtong to write a script for Gong Cheng'en, regardless of her motives. This matter was not related to any agreement, principles, or positions. Whether it was a sudden idea or a long-term plan, the initiative was always in Liu Jingtong's hands. He could agree on the spot, or he could break his promise later, saying, "I also like lying." For Wang Qianqian, he had no moral pressure. However, since he thought of *Xiao Shiyi Lang* and it was originally a script, why not go with the flow?

From the day he decided to recommend books, Liu Jingtong had been thinking about this. He wanted each book's appearance to fit a certain opportunity. After all, he wanted to derive some pleasure from this work and relive or recreate the grand scenes when these books were first published.

"Mù chūn sān yuè, yáng huān cǎo zhǎng, tiān hán dì dòng, wèn shuí sì láng? rén xīn lián yáng, láng xīn dú chuàng, tiān xīn nán cè, shì qíng rú shuāng!"

Liu Jingtong softly recited these lines, thinking of the wild Xiao Shiyi Lang in the novel, the scene where he sang this song in front of Shen Bi Jun, and the time when he, pretending to be literary, copied these lines and gave them to a girl he had a crush on.

Just then, his phone rang. It was Gong Cheng'en.

"Hello, Mr. Gu..."

"What's up?"

"Um, did Qianqian call Mi Hu or you?"

"Yes."

"Did she say anything inappropriate?" Gong Cheng'en asked anxiously, then laughed self-deprecatingly, "You know her personality..."

"No, she didn't," Liu Jingtong thought about telling him about Wang Qianqian's request for a script but then reconsidered, thinking it might be a secret between the couple, "She just thought the new story was too sad."

"Right, right, I wanted to talk to you about that. To be precise, I have a request."

Liu Jingtong hummed softly, not speaking, waiting quietly.

"I know this request might be a bit excessive, but I hope you can understand my feelings. I don't want her to feel so melancholy every time she reads a book. What I mean is, can the ending of *Qi Jian Xia Tian Shan* be a bit happier?"

Liu Jingtong couldn't help but laugh, thinking how strange these two were, one asking him to write a script for the other, and the other asking him to write a comedy. He said, "This, the plot is already set, and I've already sent the final draft to Qianhong. It's unlikely to change."

"Ah, so it's still a tragedy?"

"Not exactly..."

Gong Cheng'en smiled bitterly, paused for a moment, and said, "So it's the same as before. Mr. Gu, why do you have such a taste for tragedy?"

Liu Jingtong smiled helplessly, "That term sounds familiar."

"She said it."

"..."

After a pause, Gong Cheng'en gave up on persuading him to change the ending of *Qi Jian* and thought of another idea, "Is the next book already in preparation?"

Liu Jingtong couldn't help but laugh, but this time he didn't laugh out loud, confidently responding, "The next book will definitely be a comedy."

"Oh, that's good. By the way, *Yue Nü Jian* is almost over. Do you have time to visit the set? Chen Ming really wants to meet you."

"Chen Ming plays Fan Li?"

"Yes, haven't you been following our TV series?"

"Yes, ah, the one who plays Xi Shi is Ma Shu, right?"

"Haha, so our great talent, Mr. Gu, is also a womanizer. Or rather, talented men have always been womanizers."

Liu Jingtong didn't pick up on this, changing the topic, "Has Haiyang's *Qi Xia Wu Yi* started filming?"

Hearing the name of his rival, Gong Cheng'en quickly calmed down, saying calmly, "It started a few days ago, and it should air next year."

Liu Jingtong didn't want to say more. He asked a few more questions about *Bai Fa Mo Nu Zhuan*, and Gong Cheng'en, somewhat embarrassed, said, "I was planning to tell you later, but since you asked, I'll let you know in advance. We might change the ending of the TV series."

"Make it a happy ending?"

"Um, yes."

"After selling the copyright to you, I don't have much say."

"Don't say that. The two screenwriters discussed this for days, and it was only after the big boss made the final decision that we made this choice. I was most worried about your reaction."

"You can understand. TV series and novels are different. You have to consider ratings and ads."

In the TV adaptations of that world, the endings of Lian Nishang and Zhuo Yihang were mostly happy, which, to some extent, compensated for the readers' regrets.

After hanging up with Gong Cheng'en, Liu Jingtong went online to read some posts. Seeing the comments from Luotou, the posts from Tiandao Youchang, and the enthusiastic discussions of other readers, he felt a bit secretly pleased and also looked forward to the future.

...

"I despise people with impure motives for reading books."

Liu Jingtong was in the middle of a heated moment when he suddenly heard Zhao Kan's voice outside the door.

"Kankan, I have to criticize you. Reading a book for a girl is one of the purest motives. Don't tell me you read books to learn cultural knowledge or to build the four modernizations. I've seen you analyze *Bai Ma Mo Nu Zhuan* in front of the girls."

"Get lost, you illiterate. Where is there a *Bai Ma Mo Nu*? You're a white camel. If you want to read, buy the book yourself."

As they entered the dorm, Liu Jingtong smiled and asked, "What were you talking about, so warmly?"

Zhao Kan pointed at Yu Xiaoshu, frustrated, "This guy borrowed a book from me to impress a girl."

"Oh, what's the situation?" Liu Jingtong turned to look at Yu Xiaoshu.

Yu Xiaoshu showed no sign of being criticized, "I just wanted to keep up with the times. Everyone is talking about Gu Yongsheng, so I borrowed a book from Kankan to study. I didn't expect him to talk so much."

"Funny, you really just want to study?" Zhao Kan rolled his eyes, "Clearly, you only started reading after hearing Ye Chi talk about it."

"So what if I did?" Yu Xiaoshu admitted.

"See, I told you you had ulterior motives with Ye Chi."

"Alright, I admit it. Kanya, you're right. I like Ye Chi and want to get closer to him. Can you lend me the book?"

Zhao Kan smiled smugly, "If you want to get closer to Ye Chi, I don't recommend reading Gu Yongsheng. You should read Yi Shui'an. She's a die-hard fan of Yi Shui'an."

"Then why did I hear you talking about *Bai Ma Xiao Xi Feng* and Li Wenxiu?"

"You don't understand," Zhao Kan said, acting like an insider, "First, *Bai Ma Xiao Xi Feng* was published in *Da Jianghu*, which is edited by Yi Shui'an. So Ye Chi, who loves Yi Shui'an, naturally pays attention. Second, Yi Shui'an and Gu Yongsheng are close friends, and it's rumored that their relationship is... well, I can't reveal too much."

"Cough, cough..." Liu Jingtong coughed awkwardly, then apologized, "Sorry, Kanya, I interrupted your gossip."

Zhao Kan didn't mind, continuing, "Although Yi Shui'an is the editor of *Da Jianghu*, she never advertised any article on her microblog. But for Gu Yongsheng's novel, she wrote nearly a thousand words of review and recommendation. What does that mean?"

"It doesn't mean anything, you gossip," Liu Jingtong said.

"So, you outsiders don't understand. I won't bother explaining. If I tell you that Yi Shui'an's ex-boyfriend left her for someone else, you'll have a new perspective on *Bai Ma*. But I won't say more. Let me get to the point. The reason Ye Chi talked to me about Gu Yongsheng today was to indirectly find out about Yi Shui'an."

Liu Jingtong smiled at Zhao Kan, inwardly mocking the absurdity of the gossip and rumors.

After listening to Zhao Kan, Liu Jingtong fell into a rare silence, thinking for a while, and said, "I read *Seven Years* in junior high, but I've forgotten it all. What books has Yi Shui'an written?"

"Insider" Zhao Kan took the lead, " *Seven Years* is an early work. Yi Shui'an's main works, apart from the scattered essays in magazines, include *Awakening*, *Susu Liunian*, and *Qiangwei Zhengsheng*. The long novels are *Red Bean's Farewell* and *Seven Years*. But it's not practical to catch up on all these books now. If you want to quickly win Ye Chi's favor, the fastest way is to get her the latest essay collection *Ban Ban Lian* by Yi Shui'an, which will be released at Christmas. If you can get a signed copy, Ye Chi might marry you on the spot."

With a "thud," Yu Xiaoshu fell at Zhao Kan's feet, holding his leg with a fawning and pitiful look, "Kanya, if I've offended you before, please forgive me. If you need anything from me in the future, just say the word. Water for water, fire for fire."

Zhao Kan patted Yu Xiaoshu's head affectionately, "It's fine, it's not a big deal to tell you these things."

"No, Kanya, I know you're resourceful. Can you help me get a copy of *Ban Ban Lian* in advance?"

"Hmm?" Zhao Kan's smug expression suddenly changed, and he said cautiously, "Get the book in advance?"

"Yes, Ye Chi's birthday is on the 20th. I want to give her this book as a birthday gift."

"This..." Zhao Kan looked hesitant, "It might be difficult."

Yu Xiaoshu knew Zhao Kan was just putting on a show, but he didn't care, still holding onto his leg, "You have many friends and are well-connected. This task can only fall on you. You can't just leave me hanging."

Liu Jingtong, seeing Zhao Kan's hesitant expression, tried hard not to laugh, "Yes, you have many connections and resources. This shouldn't be too difficult, right?"

...

(The time to push me into the top ten of the monthly ticket list is running out, but fortunately, the gap is not too big, only about 400 votes. I will complete a peak comeback with this 4k chapter! I want— to tell you a joke. Hehe) (To be continued, please search for Piaotian Literature for faster updates and better reading experience!

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