Chapter 36

Perhaps the impact of "The Rural Teacher" being featured in a mainstream magazine was even greater than Lin Han had imagined. He never thought that the entire editorial department would be so excited about it. Although these people expressed their disbelief, deep down they were all fans of science fiction literature.

After a round of questioning, some people began to celebrate. This was a rare and significant step forward, finally taking a crucial step that could attract more attention to science fiction novels and expand the reader base.

Even the editor-in-chief of "Science Fiction World," Tan Lin, had to admire Lin Han. He was truly a rare talent, not only boosting the magazine's sales but also attracting media attention, and most importantly, helping science fiction literature gain mainstream recognition.

Despite being a newcomer who had just started writing, Lin Han's writing was mature and his imagination was rich. The editor began to look forward to Lin Han's new book, hoping it would help the magazine achieve even greater success.

At that moment, Lin Han was walking quickly behind Chen Jiaxuan. The Wulong Film Studio was like a convergence of different eras, with various buildings standing side by side. Han Dynasty and Warring States period architecture stood next to rugged ethnic minority buildings, while Ming and Qing Dynasty buildings faced the streets of the Republican era. People in various costumes from different film sets moved through the area, creating a melting pot.

The "Journey to the West" production team was filming a scene related to the Kingdom of Women in a Tang Dynasty-style building. Lin Han stood at the edge of the set, watching a group of actresses, and suddenly felt a sense of witnessing history.

"Wait here for a moment. Xiao Su has already gone in to get her makeup done. I'll go in and check on her."

Chen Jiaxuan knew that there were many tricks in the dressing room that newbies often didn't understand, so she had to go in herself to prevent any issues with the makeup or costume artists.

Lin Han waved his hand. "Go ahead, I'll just wander around nearby and check out the production."

The original owner was a genuine film director, but Lin Han himself wasn't, so being up close to a running production felt more vivid than his memories.

At that moment, someone patted him on the shoulder. A burly man from the north appeared beside him. "Lin Han? Why are you here at our production? You didn't even tell me."

"I wanted to surprise you," Lin Han turned to look at his friend. Wang Hao had a typical northern appearance, with a large and sturdy build that made him look more like a security guard than an assistant director.

Wang Hao looked at Lin Han and clicked his tongue. "You're quite the lucky guy. You've already left the entertainment industry, but you're still with a beauty like Chen Jiaxuan. I saw you two standing together just now, but I didn't dare to come over during the shoot."

Lin Han punched him on the shoulder and explained, "Don't say that. She's still my agent, but now she's a literary agent. I'm here as an assistant, don't ruin her reputation."

"Damn, I thought you had finally come to your senses, but you're still a blockhead. I'm suddenly worried about your sexual orientation," Wang Hao said with a mischievous expression, his thick eyebrows moving up and down like those of Crayon Shin-chan.

At that moment, Chen Jiaxuan led a woman dressed in Indian chiffon out. The woman looked to be in her twenties, with a round, oval face and willow-like eyebrows, rather than the typical sharp chin. She wore an exaggerated Indian headdress and a midriff-baring outfit, with a red dot on her forehead.

"This is Su Ru. We're going to meet the director now. I hope everything goes well," Chen Jiaxuan said, surprised that this role had attracted so many people, including some well-known actresses.

Lin Han looked at Su Ru and felt that her aura wasn't quite right. Compared to the Jade Rabbit in the Earth version of "Journey to the West," she seemed more like a lady of high society, which didn't fit the character.

"What do you think of her outfit? Does she look like a young girl from India?" Chen Jiaxuan asked the two of them, remembering that Wang Hao was Lin Han's friend.

Lin Han thought for a moment, rubbed his chin, and said frankly, "The Jade Rabbit should be alluring and captivating. Indians are generally warm and open, often breaking into dance. I think you should be more relaxed and blend the delicate shyness of a young girl with the allure of a demon."

"Actually, you haven't studied Indian beauties, have you? They have a certain charm in the way they walk. Lin Han is right. A demon transformed into a princess should still have the unique aura of a demon, more daring and seductive than an ordinary woman, but not too over-the-top. I'm just giving a general idea. The director likes actors with solid acting skills, so don't use any tricks," Wang Hao, as a member of the production team, understood the director's preferences. This level of TV drama used only actors with strong acting skills. Even with powerful backing, subpar acting wouldn't cut it.

Su Ru nodded. As a newcomer in the entertainment industry, she took a deep breath and tried to change her aura, slowly finding the charm of an exotic woman.

After Chen Jiaxuan and Su Ru entered the audition room, Wang Hao had to go and watch the extras rehearse, leaving Lin Han alone.

He took out his phone and sat on the steps under the eaves, checking his QQ chat history.

Li Wenyuan, who had been waiting for a long time, had returned to the country. He had been chatting with the judges of the Galaxy Award when he unexpectedly learned that Lin Han's novel "The Rural Teacher" was going to be featured in a mainstream magazine. He was happy for his friend.

Seeing that Lin Han was online, Li Wenyuan quickly @-mentioned him in the Sci-Fi Nebula group and asked, "Lin Han, you're finally online. I heard you're going to be featured in the next issue of 'Selected Novels'?"

Before Lin Han could reply, the other science fiction authors exploded. Everyone knew that the magazine was particularly discriminatory against science fiction novels. Other genres of novels weren't treated this way. Martial arts novels appeared almost every other issue, and fantasy novels were also common. Even romance novels could get in, but not science fiction.

"Mosquito, where did you hear this rumor? Lin Han and 'Selected Novels'? That's a joke, right?"

"Yeah, that's not a funny joke. Science fiction novels have never been in that magazine. Have you ever been in it?"

"Not just Mosquito, many famous science fiction writers haven't had this treatment. Lin Han, that broken director? If he can get in, I'll live-stream myself eating shit!"

"Even though 'The Rural Teacher' is of high quality, it's not necessarily better than all science fiction novels. Getting into other magazines is understandable, but is it 'Monthly Novels'? One character makes a big difference."

Lin Han knew what Li Wenyuan was up to. He could have asked privately, but he chose to do it in the author group to embarrass those people.

So he quickly replied on his phone, "I thought this news would only come out when the magazine is released next month. I didn't expect you to know already. Yes, I've signed the contract. You'll see 'Selected Novels' in a week."

The two hadn't planned it, but their默契 (默契 means默契, which can be translated as "coordination" or "chemistry") was so good that the authors who had threatened to eat shit immediately went silent, and many others who had been lurking came out of the woodwork.