Chapter 23

【PS: Today's minimum is three updates. If we make it to the top 20 of the new book list for contracted authors, there will be four updates; if we make it to the top 12, there will be five updates. I will update more out of respect. There are two more updates at 7 AM and 6 PM.】

After posting the single-chapter announcement, Tong Yan went home to prepare for the return to school the next day, so he didn't know about the small-scale buzz his single chapter had caused.

A book friend named "Old Cat Roast Chicken" wrote: Hey, isn't Xiao Er the boss? How can there be a school opening? Can anyone explain?

1st floor: I... can't, see the posts below.

2nd floor: I know, I know, Xiao Er's last name is Tong, and his first name is Boss, but he's actually a student!

3rd floor: No, no, Xiao Er runs the school cafeteria, so he's the boss, and he has to return to school after the opening.

4th floor: I'm impressed, man!

5th floor: The author never admitted to being the boss, and I don't think a boss would write novels. I think he might really be a student.

6th floor: ...

In another thread, a book friend named "Lu Xiaoyao" expressed doubt: I've been to college too, and it's not strict at all, with plenty of free time. I've seen a few college students writing online, so I don't think there's a need to reduce the update frequency. Could it be an excuse for the author to be lazy?

The replies below were a mix of agreement and support for the author.

Purple Satellite: LZ makes a good point. One update a day isn't enough. Strongly request two updates! Three updates! Infinite updates!

Lu Xiaoyao: Infinite updates might be too much, but at least two updates should be guaranteed.

0 Little Thief 0: College students are also very busy, especially with dating, dating, and more dating!

Feng Xing Yue Ming: Actually, I want to say that I've been to college too, but colleges and majors are different. LZ's college and major might be more relaxed, but there are also very strict and busy majors. For example, my college is like high school!

One Cent Is Life: The floor above makes a good point, my college major is the same.

Feng Xing Yue Ming: Oh, which school and major are you from?

One Cent Is Life: XX University of Technology, Physics Department. Feng Xing Yue Ming: I'm not trying to be close, but damn, I'm also from there! 2001 Electronic Information major, class 2, I lived in dorm 9, room 403.

One Cent Is Life: Third roommate, could it be you?!

Feng Xing Yue Ming: Leader? Second roommate? Damn, could it be the fourth roommate?!

...

Pen Down Autumn: This thread is already ruined, let them love each other.

Then a book friend named "Pen Down Autumn" posted a new comment: Did Xiao Er say he's a college student? Maybe he's a middle school student, or even an elementary school student?

Pen Down Autumn provided another possibility for the gossip-loving book friends, even though the possibility was small, it was enough to spark imagination.

Caesar KING: No way, a high school student can write such high-quality text?

Boundless: I'm also a high school student, and I think Xiao Er's writing isn't much better than mine, but I can't write tens of thousands of words.

TT Fox: I don't believe it! I don't believe it! I have a master's degree, and I struggle to write a thesis, and you're telling me this novel is written by a middle school student!

Bored and Sleepy: We have to admit, there are geniuses in this world. Han Sai and Jiang Fangzhou, for example, both published books in high school or even earlier.

Ou Daxia: Could our beloved Xiao Er be a genius? Can the deputy moderator come out and explain?

There were many other threads speculating about the author Xiao Er's identity, and some asked the deputy moderator for verification. After all, the author Xiao Er was a bit aloof, often answering questions in the book review section in the past, but after the diligent and responsible "I Am Arrogant" took over, there was less interaction, so they could only turn to the deputy moderator.

However, "I Am Arrogant" would not come out to explain. Tong Yan had previously instructed him not to reveal that he was a high school student, as he felt that his high school identity would make readers think he was unreliable, and that the book might be discontinued, paused, or even abandoned at any time. After all, high school students indeed find it difficult to find time to write novels, as they are always racing against the clock.

So, in the single chapter, Tong Yan deliberately only mentioned the summer break and the start of school, without specifying that he was a high school student, to mislead readers into thinking he was a college student or even a teacher, to maintain their confidence in him.

The next day, after lunch, Tong Yan boarded the bus back to Yangping alone. On the bus, he didn't idle; his mind was still working on the plot of "The Wild History of a Little Soldier," which had become a natural part of his life.

Now, the novel was over 100,000 words, a length he had never written before, which gave him a great sense of accomplishment but also left him exhausted. The physical labor of typing was not the main issue; the mental labor was the most draining.

Tong Yan's writing skills were excellent. Even with relatively dull and flat plots, he could make them interesting with his witty and natural writing style. Many readers appreciated his well-crafted talent, and his writing skills were widely recognized.

However, writing is just a part of the story; it cannot replace the story itself. For short stories, even if the writing is the main focus, it can still be enjoyable. But for a long novel, if there is only excellent writing and no engaging story, readers will find it hard to continue. Many online readers read for relaxation and enjoy fast-paced, exciting stories, where writing style and emotional depth are less important.

At the beginning, Tong Yan did tell the story very well, as he had spent three days preparing. Besides planning the overall development of the novel, he focused all his attention on the characters, background, and the opening plot, making the beginning captivating.

However, as time went on, the carefully prepared opening plot was used up, and he had to write while thinking, a common feature of online serialized novels. Due to his slow typing speed, Tong Yan had to spend a lot of time in front of the computer, leaving less time to think about the story. Additionally, he lacked a clear and detailed plan for the overall development of the story, making it difficult to come up with new plots. Sometimes, he would spend an hour or two thinking and come up with nothing, or he would write a plot that contradicted earlier parts, affecting the main storyline. Other times, he would have a good idea one day but change his mind the next, forcing him to rethink the plot.

In short: insufficient preparation, blindly starting the book.

If it weren't for Tong Yan's talent and a few clever twists that filled in the plot holes, he would have given up long ago. If someone else had read three weeks of web novels and prepared for three days before starting to write, they would have flopped. But Tong Yan had achieved good results.

The two-hour bus ride passed quickly, and Tong Yan sorted out the somewhat chaotic thoughts in his mind. At least the next part of the writing should go more smoothly, but the most important question was whether he could really write a week's worth of updates in one day.

At the bus stop, he got off and walked to the school, taking a shortcut. When he reached a certain point, he suddenly stopped, his mind buzzing. He vaguely remembered seeing someone here on the day he left for the break and talking to him for a long time. They seemed to have mentioned web novels, but was it reality or a dream?

Tong Yan tried hard to recall the conversation that blurred the lines between reality and dream. Just as he was about to find some clues in his chaotic thoughts, a voice interrupted him.

"Tong Yan! There you are!"

The voice came before the person, and Tong Yan knew it was Tian Zini even before he saw her. Sure enough, when he turned around, Tian Zini was riding her expensive mountain bike towards him.

Tong Yan couldn't help but think: What a dynamic fatty!