Chapter 8

【Seeking recommendations and collections, thank you~】

Using mobile data to download the electronic contract from his email, Lin Han stood at the door of the restroom and began to read it carefully. He had no legal expertise, but it seemed fine on the surface.

He thought, a magazine as big as "Science Fiction World" wouldn't ruin its reputation over a copyright issue; that would be self-destructive. Lin Han believed these people could see the pros and cons.

But the real reason was that he couldn't afford a lawyer. If Lin Han had the money, he would have had any contract thoroughly checked, no matter whose it was. Contracts shouldn't be signed casually; many authors have been cheated.

After writing his electronic signature on the screen and pressing his fingerprint, Lin Han clicked send, letting Wang Yifan handle the rest. After enduring the ammonia smell in the restroom, he finally walked away.

Lin Han returned to his seat and carefully observed the bookshelf next to him and the people around him who were reading books seriously. The heavy historical atmosphere made everyone feel a certain indescribable feeling, as if loud noise was a sin.

His mood had changed, and he found it hard to concentrate on reading. The lively words kept dancing, making it impossible for him to calm down.

"Just over eight thousand yuan, and I can't sit still. What if the copyright sells for hundreds of thousands?"

He said to himself sarcastically, then stood up, holding two books and heading straight to the place to get a library card. He planned to borrow them and read them slowly at home.

For some reason, there was a long line at the book registration counter, with many people holding books and waiting. Lin Han had no choice but to join the queue.

Although the original Lin Han was often mocked for entertainment gossip, as a director who had briefly shone in the entertainment industry, not many people could remember his face. There was no chance of being recognized on the street.

But suddenly, someone patted his shoulder, and a familiar voice drifted over, "Lin Han, am I seeing things? I actually saw you in the library, this is really surprising."

Lin Han immediately knew he had encountered an acquaintance. He turned his head and saw the tall, thin figure with a slicked-back hairstyle, who was none other than Li Wenyuan, the author of the original novel "Beyond the Solar System"!

Although the original Lin Han had made a mess of Li Wenyuan's novel, strangely, they had become friends. The original Lin Han loved science fiction novels, and shooting "Beyond the Solar System" had fulfilled his dream. Li Wenyuan, as a special guest script consultant on set, often chatted with the original Lin Han. They shared a common language in science fiction, so they interacted quite a bit.

Even when Lin Han was widely criticized, Li Wenyuan, in an interview, strongly supported his friend, saying that the poor performance of the film was not the director's fault and that all the blame should not be placed on Lin Han alone.

But feeling self-pity and isolating himself, Lin Han spent his days drinking and ignored the outside world. When he suddenly saw Li Wenyuan, the residual memories in his body still affected him.

Lin Han tried to control his emotions, raised the two books in his hand, and said, "Mosquito..."

"You finally decided to come out. Let's go to the coffee shop next door and sit down," Li Wenyuan suggested, pleased by Lin Han's change. At least his friend was no longer so depressed and cynical.

After completing the book registration, Lin Han and Li Wenyuan walked shoulder to shoulder to the coffee shop next to the library. The coffee shop was unusually quiet, with an occasional couple sitting together.

Putting the books aside, Lin Han said solemnly, "Mosquito, I know it's a bit late, but I'm really sorry for adapting your novel so poorly."

"It's okay, it's already great to be adapted. How many people can do that?" Li Wenyuan was quite open-minded. He sighed, "It's not your fault. They didn't even give you the editing rights, and after the release, they made you take the blame for everyone."

For this, Lin Han could only smile bitterly. The failure of a movie, if it relied solely on him, would have its limits. But when the movie's reputation declined, the entire crew turned against him, pointing the finger at the original Lin Han, who was a first-time director of a major film, making him the scapegoat.

Li Wenyuan realized he had touched a sore spot and quickly changed the subject, "So, what are you busy with now? You're actually borrowing science fiction novels?"

"Those things are all in the past, but I still have to live, right?" Lin Han said casually, "No production team or TV station wants me, so I wrote a novel and sent it to 'Science Fiction World' to make some money."

"Science Fiction World? I'm familiar with that. My novel 'Beyond the Solar System' was serialized in that magazine before it was published. What's the name of your novel? I'll call a familiar editor and have him take care of you."

Saying that, Li Wenyuan took out his phone, ready to find the number to help his old friend through this tough time. A science fiction director, reduced to writing science fiction novels, would be a huge blow if rejected.

Lin Han quickly stopped Li Wenyuan's action and said with a smile, "No need, no need. My manuscript has already been accepted. I just signed the electronic contract. Five hundred yuan per thousand words, exactly twenty thousand words, so I got a little over eight thousand yuan."

"Five hundred yuan per thousand words? That's a good price, the highest for a newcomer, much better than when I started. I'll have to read your masterpiece carefully when it comes out," Li Wenyuan was quite surprised. He didn't expect Lin Han to be so capable, easily getting the highest price.

"The next issue of 'Science Fiction World' will be released next month. Buy a copy to boost the sales."

"Which issue haven't I bought? I always subscribe for the whole year. It looks like if you don't direct movies, you could become a best-selling author. I'll add you to our science fiction authors' chat group later, so everyone can get to know each other."

Li Wenyuan genuinely admired Lin Han, who could emerge from a huge shadow and achieve success, which was a very difficult thing to do.

Lin Han took a sip of coffee and said with a smile, "My biggest hope now is the Galaxy Award. If I can win the prize money, I won't have to worry about rent and can focus on my creative work, living as a literary youth."

Hearing this, Li Wenyuan laughed smugly, "Have you paid attention to the judges for the Galaxy Award? Bribe me, and I'll get you into the semi-finals."

"You're a judge?" Lin Han was completely surprised. But thinking about it, it made sense. As one of the most popular science fiction authors in China, several of Li Wenyuan's novels were bestsellers both domestically and internationally, and he had been nominated for the American Nebula Award, which was the highest honor for science fiction authors worldwide. That's why they chose to shoot "Beyond the Galaxy."

"They specifically asked me to be a judge, but I refused for the past few years. This year, I got itchy, and it turned out to be a lucky break. I'll go read your novel later," Li Wenyuan smiled widely, extended his hand to shake Lin Han's, and said sincerely, "Welcome back."

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