Chapter 94

Only by deeply studying love can one describe it, just as one must learn a language to speak it.

This is a very simple truth. In the eyes of readers, the root of the tragedy in Gu Yongsheng's novels lies in his one-sided or even complete misunderstanding of love.

"Letting Lian Nianshang have the Udumbara flower only when she is a hundred years old, what about the fifty or sixty years in between? I would rather not see such an ending from the author."

"Why did Ling Weifeng only reveal his identity on his deathbed? Was it to make Liu Yufang suffer more? Was it to make the plot more tragic? We understand the author's desire to write a tragic story, but can't he stay true to the characters' personalities? Isn't Ling Weifeng a great hero, a divine light, and extremely patient? Why choose the least appropriate moment to reveal the truth?"

"In 'The Sword of Yue Maiden,' Aqing, in 'The White Horse Cries in the West Wind,' Axiu, in 'The White-Haired Girl,' Lian Nianshang, and now in 'The Seven Swords,' Liu Yufang, and some future characters, Gu Yongsheng, you have wronged these women."

"Is the author a girl who has been hurt before, so she insists on not letting the characters in her books find happiness?"

"Reality is already full of depressing things. We read novels to feel good and relieve our emotions, but the author makes us even more depressed. We don't want profound truths or heart-wrenching tragedies; we just want to feel good."

...

As expected, after reading the novel, everyone, whether regarding the ending of the main characters or the handling of the ending of 'The White-Haired Girl,' showed strong dissatisfaction.

"Two tragedies in one book, is this pushing the boundaries of what readers can tolerate?"

There were objections, and naturally, there were objections to the objections. This is a universal rule, for no product can receive unanimous praise. The more praise one receives, the more criticism one must endure.

Supporters of 'The Seven Swords' explained the novel from the perspectives of human nature, morality, and the times. They believed that Ling Weifeng and Liu Yufang's failure to recognize each other stemmed from the deepest, unspoken aspects of human nature. The self-inflicted loneliness and the moral satisfaction of swallowing past sorrows were underlying factors in their tragedy. In this sense, the author's insight into human nature was very subtle and profound.

As for Han Zhibang's self-sacrifice, it was the most touching part of the story and the most brilliant moment of elevation.

Faced with these discussions and controversies, Qianhong, as usual, remained silent, adhering to the principle that literary works thrive on debate and diversity.

Silence does not mean a lack of stance. In fact, Qianhong took advantage of the discussion to heavily promote 'The Mandarin Ducks Saber.'

"Are you still immersed in the tragic love of the white-haired girl? Are you still heartbroken over the white horse girl? Are you still thinking about Yue Maiden Aqing? Have you been hurt again by the Seven Swords of Tian Shan? Don't be sad, don't be angry. Labor model Gu Yongsheng's new work, 'The Mandarin Ducks Saber,' will be released on New Year's Day in 'The Great Wulin.' It's a hilarious hit, guaranteed to make you laugh until your stomach hurts!"

This street vendor-style advertisement immediately drew a lot of criticism.

"When did Qianhong become a late-night medicine seller or a street vendor?"

"Mandarin Ducks Saber? Is this really the title of Gu Yongsheng's new book? Can it be any more rustic?"

"Is Gu Yongsheng writing a comedy now? Can he even write a comedy?"

These criticisms were relatively mild and bright. Some more vicious comments were so serious and heartfelt that they made one sigh and feel sorry.

"Gu Yongsheng has finally succumbed to public opinion and failed to stick to his principles. An author who starts to cater to the masses and writes based on reader preferences has already entered a dead end and is on a downward slope. It's truly disappointing, and I won't waste a penny on your books anymore."

...

Liu Jingtong had no time to go online to follow these discussions. He first called the editor-in-chief of 'Children's Literature,' accepted the invitation from Qiaokeli's parents, and set the date for a week later during the New Year's holiday, as he had to attend Yishui An's wedding on New Year's Day, which was conveniently on the way.

To be honest, Liu Jingtong was not enthusiastic about meeting readers or their parents as an author, but he vaguely remembered Qiaokeli, a girl who, despite being loved by her parents, still felt lonely.

And now, he had to wait for another girl to celebrate Christmas.

Young couples in school love all kinds of holidays, especially Christmas and Valentine's Day. Unscrupulous merchants have even created twelve Valentine's Days in a year.

January 14, Diary Valentine's Day, February 14, Traditional Valentine's Day, March 14, White Valentine's Day, April 14, Black Valentine's Day...

If you look closely, you'll find that these Valentine's Days have a common feature—giving gifts, all kinds of gifts!

So, these holidays can be collectively called "Gift Days."

Liu Jingtong's Christmas gift to Mi Hu was Yishui An's new book, 'Half a Lotus.' The planned activities were unoriginal: hotpot and a movie.

"If I do badly on this exam, it's all your fault."

Mi Hu walked out of the exam room and immediately complained to Liu Jingtong.

Liu Jingtong looked her over and asked, "Did you stay up late studying last night?"

"No, that's why I kept thinking about it during the exam."

Liu Jingtong stared at her without speaking. Mi Hu felt uncomfortable and admitted, "I only read two chapters."

Liu Jingtong's gaze became even sharper, but he still didn't speak. Mi Hu, trying to sound tough, said, "Okay, okay, I admit I couldn't resist and read half of it."

Liu Jingtong responded with a sarcastic "Hmm," his eyes piercing as if he could see through everything.

Mi Hu suddenly smiled and linked her arm with Liu Jingtong's, tilting her head and trying to act cute, "What movie are we going to see tonight?"

"The head teacher."

"Huh? Is there a movie with that title?"

"The head teacher is right there."

Mi Hu was startled and quickly withdrew her arm, looking around nervously. She saw students walking in groups toward the cafeteria.

"Liu... Jingtong..."

Mi Hu glared at Liu Jingtong with fiery eyes, but he remained calm and continued walking, looking deep and mysterious.

Pretending to be deep and mysterious is a wonderful way to deal with girls. You can stay silent all day, looking worried, and if she asks, just shake your head and say it's nothing, or pretend to be relieved and smile at her. She'll be as docile as a lamb all day.

At this moment, "lamb" Mi Hu followed Liu Jingtong and started apologizing, "Okay, I admit I finished it, but I read it quickly, without staying up all night. I used speed reading, you know speed reading, right?"

Liu Jingtong walked in silence.

"It's Christmas today. Don't be like this. I'm sorry, okay?"

Liu Jingtong suddenly stopped and said indifferently, "It's my fault."

"No, no, no, it's all my fault. I lack self-control, I can't distinguish between priorities, I..."

Liu Jingtong finally turned to look at her. Mi Hu shut up and pouted, trying her best to act cute and pitiful.

Shameless Liu Jingtong, seeing the right moment, coldly extended his right hand and opened his palm. Mi Hu was startled but, after a moment of hesitation, timidly said, "Tonight, okay?"

Liu Jingtong didn't respond, nor did he retract his hand.

Mi Hu looked around, then hesitantly placed her white, pen-marked hand in his. Liu Jingtong firmly and unhesitantly held it.

On December 25, Christmas Day, Liu Jingtong and Mi Hu successfully held hands.

They held hands naturally, their hearts filled with sweetness, but... secretly.

"Can I ask you a question?"

After a moment of awkward silence, Mi Hu suddenly said a line from a soap opera.

Liu Jingtong, feeling guilty, reacted quickly, "I'll ask you a question first."

"Go ahead."

After a few seconds of contemplation, Liu Jingtong asked seriously, "If my father and your father both fell into the river, which one would you save first?"

"Li...u... Jingtong!"

Mi Hu transformed into a fire-breathing dragon.

"Thank you, I didn't expect you to answer so loudly. I'm very touched, but I won't put you in such a difficult position. I'll learn to swim."

"..."

...

"We will produce 9,999 limited editions. The content is the same, but they include additional items like my autographed letter, posters, postcards, and creation notes. The price will be higher, so we don't particularly recommend them for students. This is actually for readers who like to collect."

Xue Muliang, sitting in the 'Interview' studio, was dressed impeccably, his expression calm and confident.

The host smiled meaningfully and continued, "However, according to statistics, 80% of your readers are students. What will be the price range for this limited edition?"

"999 yuan. The price is high, but the content is absolutely worth it. I won't force readers to buy it. The novel content is the same, so readers who just want to read the story can buy the regular edition. Additionally, we've found that my readers include not only students but also industry elites and urban white-collar workers, who have the purchasing power. I can reveal that within ten hours of pre-sales, over 200 sets have been sold."

"That's quite impressive. For 1,000 yuan, I wouldn't dare to buy a book. Speaking of which, I saw a preview that your book will have a first print run of 2 million copies. This reminds me of the new author, Gu Yongsheng, who broke your sales record with one of his books, right?"

Xue Muliang remained calm and nodded.

"How do you view this challenger? Have you read his books?"

"There's no real challenge. Currently, the publishing industry in our country is still underdeveloped, but because of this, it has great potential. It's a big pie, and new people need to keep coming in, just like when I started. Every year, several sales records were broken."

"Um, have you read his books?" the host asked slyly.

"Read them," Xue Muliang's expression changed slightly but was quickly masked by a smile. "Besides being an author, I'm also a publisher. I spend about two hours a day reading the latest popular books, regardless of genre or author. As long as they are popular, I read them."

"To stay sensitive."

"Exactly."

"Isn't that exhausting, reading every day on top of writing, handling company affairs, and taking on projects?"

"There's no choice. If you want to be the best in the industry and improve every day, you have to work harder than others. The key is that I enjoy doing these things, so I don't find it tiring."

"Success is not easy."

"Indeed. You see, people online criticize me, saying my values are wrong and that I flaunt my wealth. But no one cares about why I've come this far. I have no background, and I came to this huge city alone, writing my way to where I am today. They can't understand it, so they criticize and dislike it. Ultimately, it's jealousy. They can't do it themselves, so they feel unbalanced."

"Does this affect you?"

"At first, it might, but now I don't care at all. Look at my microblog; more than half of the comments are negative. I don't even bother to delete them because I am Xue Muliang, and I'm here, enjoying the spotlight, so I have to bear this."

The host nodded, seizing the opportunity to turn to the camera and summarize, "There's no such thing as accidental success. The more success you want, the more effort you have to put in. This is the law of equivalent exchange."

The interview inevitably turned to Xue Muliang's old rival, Han Shuo, but this time, Xue Muliang showed some disdain.

"My book has a first print run of 2 million copies, and I know his is 700,000. There's no comparison."

"What about Gu Yongsheng, who is rumored to have a short story collection coming out early next year?"

"We'll see."

...

"Let's wait and see." Lu Yichou smiled after watching the video, then pressed a button to notify his secretary, "Reply to the Southern Daily, saying I'll be there from 4:30 to 5:30 in the afternoon."

Since Xue Muliang had made his move, the confident Lu Yichou couldn't ignore it. The only regret was that the three authors were unique, and bringing any of them to 'Interview' would have been a direct counter.

Fortunately, the Southern Daily had the top influence in the industry, and any news or comments they published would quickly spread online and in other newspapers.

Lu Yichou took out paper and pen, thought for a moment, and began listing the key points to cover in the interview.

- Introduce the new books of the three authors.

- Use the news of 'The Sword of Yue Maiden' to promote 'The Seven Swords' and the upcoming 'The Mandarin Ducks Saber.'

- Respond to Xue Muliang's challenge, pointing out that comparing a novel to Han Shuo's essay collection is a sly move.

- Wish Xue Muliang success in surpassing 'The White-Haired Girl.'

...

While the two top publishing companies, Qianhong and Dingjie, were in a formal showdown, Gu Yongsheng and Mi Hu were eating hotpot, listening to music, and discussing the hilarious 'The Mandarin Ducks Saber.'

"So, did you write this comedy to appease the readers' anger?"

Through the swirling smoke, she asked Liu Jingtong, who was eating heartily.

"Sort of. Too many tragedies make me feel bad too. What did you think after reading it?"

"It's hilarious. I tell you, I read it in my bed last night and almost laughed myself to death in the middle of the night. I have to tell you..."

Mi Hu was speaking excitedly when she suddenly felt a sharp gaze on her. She blinked and made a face, "Let's move on. We're only talking about the book now."

Liu Jingtong shook his head and returned his gaze to the hotpot.

"But you really are deliberate. At the end, you suddenly have the mother recognition scene. I was shocked when I read that part. Remembering your past misdeeds, I almost gave up on the book. I secretly resolved that if you made them real siblings, I wouldn't talk to you for a week. But you were smart, and the ending was good. Here, a reward, a beef ball."

"The serial in 'The Great Wulin' ends with the mother-son recognition. Do you think I should hide in your dorm during New Year's? I'll probably be bombarded with criticism."

"What? You're looking for trouble? Do you know how much you've been criticized online since 'The Seven Swords' came out?"

"I haven't had time to go online."

"Then, when will the collection be released?"

"Mid-month, latest by early February."

"I suggest you avoid the internet during this time or post a thread explaining that the story will have a happy ending."

"What's the point then?" Liu Jingtong smiled, "Since we agreed to interact with readers, we should be sincere. You know, interacting through the text and the story itself is my favorite way."

"When will 'The Great Wulin' start?"

"End of December, around the 30th. By the way, how many days off do you have for New Year's?"

"Hehe, how many? You're thinking too much. One day."

"That's enough. Yishui An is getting married that day. Come with me to the wedding."

"Ah?" Mi Hu almost choked, staring at Liu Jingtong.

"I've already received the invitation."

"Is there one for me?"

Liu Jingtong nodded, "Don't be so surprised."

"Hey, Yishui An writing an invitation for me, how can I stay calm?" Mi Hu's expression suddenly changed, and she said with a sigh, "Yishui An is really getting married."

Liu Jingtong didn't respond, thinking of the text message Yishui An had sent him. In the message, she said, "A significant part of life's meaning is realized through marriage and love. Love at first sight may not be reliable, but when two people decide to marry, it means something different because the time they spent waiting for each other was too long."

"To judge whether a man loves you, see if he is willing to bring you into his life and thoughts. To judge whether you love a man, see if you are willing to bear his children."

...

That night, 'The Sword of Yue Maiden' aired on schedule. Although the ratings weren't explosive, they still met the expectations of Xingyue under the influence of Gu Yongsheng's new brand.

Three days later, 'The Great Wulin' was released, and 'The Mandarin Ducks Saber' wobbled into the public eye. Despite the previous controversies, Gu Yongsheng's martial arts novel still drew a large crowd—thousands, if not tens of thousands. Xue Muliang's popularity was slightly diminished as a result. (To be continued. Please search for Piaowen Academy for better and faster updates!)

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