Rekindling the Youthful Era

Chapter 754 The taste of home
Around 5 p.m.

Lin Xiuhong had just finished playing mahjong with Cui Suling and hurriedly left Cui Suling's house. She drove her Honda Fit, which Li Luo had bought, to the market to buy some groceries before heading home.

Lin Xiuhong is now living a very comfortable life.

Every morning, I get up early, go downstairs for breakfast and a walk, and then sit with Li Guohong in the Reign Culture office to enjoy the air conditioning.

Help Li Luo handle the matters of the talent agencies that have come to him wanting to invite him to write songs, and check the bills that Li Xiang, who is interning here, has prepared.

After things calm down, Li Guohong would cook lunch in the office and then go check on the hot pot restaurant.

Lin Xiuhong, on the other hand, played mahjong and went shopping with her girlfriends whom she had arranged to meet.

Most of the time, he was with Cui Suling.

I go home in the evening to cook dinner, and then go out to dance in the square, or stay home to watch TV and read the books written by my beloved son.

Every month, I go to collect the rent from the other shop on West Street besides the hot pot restaurant and the milk tea shop.

She earns a few thousand yuan a month, plus the salary she receives from Chongran Culture, making over ten thousand yuan a month. She can't possibly spend it all, and she basically doesn't have to do anything.

Just enjoy life.

Lin Xiuhong never expected that she, at just over forty years old, would be living such a wonderful life that she never dared to dream of before.

Humming a little tune and carrying groceries, Lin Xiuhong strolled to her front door, took out her key, and opened the door.

When she changed her shoes, she looked down and saw two pairs of shoes at the door. Lin Xiuhong, wearing slippers, walked towards Li Luo's bedroom and knocked on the door.

"Li Luo, you're back?"

"Aunt Lin~" Ying Chanxi opened the door. "Are you going to cook? I can help you."

"Xixi is here too?" Lin Xiuhong smiled happily, then glanced around the room to make sure the other two girls hadn't come with her. She then took Ying Chanxi's hand and said, "Come on, talk to me."

"Okay." Ying Chanxi obediently followed Lin Xiuhong into the kitchen to help her.

Li Luo strolled after her into the kitchen, only to have her mother stuff a handful of garlic into her hand.

Squatting in front of the trash can peeling garlic, Li Luo watched Ying Chanxi put on an apron and skillfully assist Lin Xiuhong, as if time had instantly traveled back to the moment when he had just been reborn.

Three years have passed, and Lin Xiuhong doesn't seem to have aged at all.

Ying Chanxi has matured a lot, but she still looks petite and cute.

As for himself... he's still as handsome as ever.

Li Luo touched his face and chuckled twice.

Nothing has changed, yet everything has changed.

As Li Luo squatted beside the trash can, he sighed inwardly. Ying Chanxi felt much the same way, and was even happier than Li Luo.

Her home in Jincheng Community feels like her own personal turf; every time she returns here, it feels like coming home.

Although her home should technically be across the hall, for Ying Chanxi, Li Luo's place felt more like home.

……

Around 6 p.m., Lin Xiuhong prepared five dishes and a soup, which Ying Chanxi and Li Luo brought to the dining table in the living room.

Just then, the sound of the door opening came from the front door.

Li Guohong led Li Guoru in from outside, and they were immediately greeted by the enticing aroma of food.

"Xiuhong's cooking skills are as good as ever," Li Guoru said with a smile as he walked to the dining table and politely praised her.

After the elders exchanged pleasantries and took their seats, Li Luo pulled Ying Chanxi to sit down as well.

After we started eating, we chatted for a while at the table, and then the conversation turned to business.

Li Guoru took a sip of baijiu and said to Li Luo, "The main reason I came here for a meal is to remind you of something."

Upon hearing this, Li Luo knew it was serious business, so he put down his chopsticks and looked at Li Guoru curiously: "Uncle, is there something you need?"

“It has little to do with me personally, but it is mainly related to your future development,” Li Guoru said carefully. “As you should know, I am a member of the Municipal Writers Association.”

“I have a good friend over there named Sun Jingchun. He hosted the award ceremony for the essay contest called ‘Entertainment Dream, Urban Chronicles’. I don’t know if you remember him.”

"Didn't your book, 'I'm Really Not a Star,' win this essay contest prize?"

"Oh right." Li Luo nodded. "That's true."

Back when they were in their first year of high school, Li Luo and Xu Youyu's two entertainment articles both won the grand prize in this essay contest.

This was also the first time Li Luo had connected with an official organization and successfully joined the newly established online writers' association in Yuhang City.

He was later invited to join the municipal writers' association, the provincial writers' association, and the provincial online writers' association.

However, these writers' associations were really nothing special and didn't have much use for Li Luo at the time, so he paid his membership fee and then ignored them.

Although the Writers Association usually organizes various activities, or has essay contests or works selections, Li Luo was still in high school at the time and didn't pay much attention to them.

Li Luo ignored everything that wasn't very important.

Ultimately, in the online literature industry, results speak for themselves.

However, Li Guoru clearly has a different viewpoint.

"I didn't really know much about your online literature industry before, but after spending two or three years at Reign Culture, I've figured out a bit of the knack for it."

At the dinner table, Li Guoru spoke eloquently, saying, "In the realm of online literature, it is indeed as you have said before, that results speak for themselves."

"But the higher you go, the less you rely solely on grades."

"Take your novel 'A Little Reunion' for example. If Ying Zhicheng's Huayue Film and Television hadn't bought the copyright, were you really confident you could have sold it?"

"Even with the support of a realistic writing competition and official endorsement, if it is eventually sold, the price will never be that high."

"In the end, when you get to the highest level, it all comes down to listing data and telling stories."

"With your current abilities, you definitely won't have any problems with the data."

"But in terms of storytelling, there is still a lack."

"So what does Uncle mean?" Li Luo pondered for a moment, somewhat unable to fathom Li Guoru's true intentions, and then tentatively asked.

“Ahem…it’s actually quite simple.” Li Guoru coughed and reminded him, “Sun Jingchun recently told me that the Municipal Writers Association, including the Online Writers Association, seems to be planning to hold a members’ representative conference.”

"The new council members of the Writers' Association will be elected at the meeting."

"Don't think it's troublesome. This identity may seem useless in ordinary times, but when the Writers Association provides some resources, it's like adding value to your own story every time."

Hearing Li Guoru's words, Li Luo finally realized what he meant. The Writers' Association wasn't very useful to Li Luo back then, but who knows what it might be in the future.

Seeing that he had begun to ponder, Li Guoru pressed his advantage and actively encouraged him, saying, "I don't know if you know anyone at the online writers' association."

"If so, you can try to get a nomination for a council member."

"With your current online novel achievements, plus your platinum status with Wenyue Group, including the success of the film and television adaptation of 'A Little Reunion'."

"Once you actually get a nomination spot, being elected to the council should be a very simple matter, after all, your strength speaks for itself."

"But if you don't fight for it yourself, don't ask someone for a nomination, and don't participate in the election, then it's normal for them not to give you a nomination."

"If you can join, you'll be among the first to benefit from any official support programs or preferential policies."

"Moreover, a lot of IP development, film and television adaptation, and connections and resources within the industry will be concentrated here."

"Although you have the distribution channels of Wenyue Group and Huayue Film and Television, having an extra layer of channels means having an extra layer of bargaining power, doesn't it?"

Li Guoru's words were truly heartfelt, showing that he genuinely cared about his nephew's future development.

He usually only occasionally visited the Writers' Association to chat with old friends, but during that conversation, he immediately thought of Li Luo.

He even made a special trip to have a meal and talk to Li Luo about this.

After a brief moment's thought, Li Luo nodded in agreement: "Okay, I'll ask her when I have time."

"That's right." Seeing that Li Luo was seriously considering it, Li Guoru smiled happily. "Among the current generation of our Li family, you are the most promising. You must seize this opportunity for development."

"I must thank my uncle for coming over to remind me." Li Luo raised his glass and offered a toast.

Li Guoru accepted the drink with a smile, clinked glasses with Li Luo, and drank it all in one gulp, instantly feeling much better.

Li Luo didn't waste any time, so he simply took out his phone at the dinner table and sent a message to a platinum-level tycoon he knew in the province.

After receiving a reply, Li Luo made a phone call.

“I know what you’re talking about,” the platinum author opposite Li Luo said. “If you’re interested, I’ll ask around for you. It seems that you need at least three recommendations from the original council members or the presidium committee to participate in the election.”

"And it's not a re-election, it's just a simple expansion of the council's membership."

"but……"

"But what?" Li Luo asked curiously.

"Burning God, Burning God, do you have some misunderstanding about your current strength?"

"What's wrong? Is being a council member difficult?"

"No..." the platinum author on the other end sounded somewhat exasperated, "Think about what level you're at right now?"

"The book 'I'm Really Not a Star' broke the average subscription and sales record for entertainment books."

"The TV series adapted from 'A Little Reunion' is a huge hit this year."

"The average subscription rate for 'The Great Qian Night Patrol' is almost 90,000, right? If it can break 100,000 average subscriptions later, do you know how amazing that number is?"

"With your current performance, it would be a waste of your talent to simply be a member of the council."

"If you ask me, we should just nominate someone for a vice-chairman position."

"Huh?" Li Luo was taken aback, somewhat surprised. "This will work?"

"It might not have been possible to do it any later or earlier, but right now," the platinum author across from me chuckled, "one of the vice-chairmen is getting on in years and is just about to retire this year."

"The members' representative meeting you mentioned, adding more council members is just a side matter. The real issue is replacing the vice president. We're currently in the selection process."

"If you're really interested, I'll just nominate you."

This platinum author is the vice chairman of the online writers' association and is a well-known figure in the industry.

Because Li Luo had previously given Yuan Wanqing concert tickets and even got her autograph for her wife, the two had a pretty good personal relationship.

Seeing that Li Luo was interested in this, and having recently finished his work and being quite bored, he immediately took it to heart.

"Then... I'll have to trouble you?" Li Luo asked tentatively.

“No problem,” the platinum tycoon said with a smile. “But after it’s done, you have to treat me to a celebratory meal. Oh, and if there’s any news about Yuan Wanqing’s concert, remember to remind me. My wife didn’t get enough of it last time.”

"It's no big deal," Li Luo agreed with a smile.

After hanging up the phone, Li Luo looked at Li Guohong, who had been staring at her at the dinner table, and couldn't help but smile.

"All done?" Li Guohong asked curiously from the side. "It sounds like there were still some twists and turns?"

"Is there any chance?" Li Guoru couldn't help but ask.

"Hmm...it's promising, but it's a bit beyond my expectations," Li Luo said, blinking and looking somewhat amused.

"What's going on?"

“My friend said that with my current achievements and status, I don’t need to compete with others for a council member position at all,” Li Luo said innocently. “I can just be nominated as vice chairman.”

"Huh?" Li Guoru was stunned for a moment when he heard this.

He had already overestimated Li Luo's achievements and abilities, but he still subconsciously regarded Li Luo as a child who was not yet twenty years old.

So much so that he never even considered the possibility of being nominated as the vice chairman of the Writers Association.

So when he heard Li Luo say that, he immediately asked with suspicion, "Is your friend reliable?"

“He’s definitely reliable.” Li Luo scratched his head. “He was a platinum author five or six years ago. That means he can only be a vice chairman in Qianjiang Province. If it were another province, he could be the chairman of the online writers’ association.”

Upon hearing the identity of the person opposite him, Li Guoru no longer had any doubts and showed a relieved and happy expression: "That's good. If it really works out, it will be a great benefit to your future career."

"Mm." Li Luo nodded and smiled, feeling quite expectant.

In his previous life, after writing a high-quality book, he joined the Yuhang City Online Writers Association at Xu Youyu's urging.

During that time, he even participated in a field trip organized by the Writers' Association with Xu Youyu.

Back then, he had seen the charisma of the chairman and vice-chairmen of the Online Writers Association speaking on stage; they were all well-known authors in the industry.

And now, without realizing it, he seems to have reached the same level in the field of online literature.

"Speaking of which," Li Guohong said, seeing that the matter was over, he moved on to the next topic and asked Li Luo, "Last night, your Uncle Xu brought a colleague to our hot pot restaurant for dinner."

“After they finished eating, I went over and chatted with them for a bit. That’s when your Uncle Xu mentioned that you seemed to be going to donate a scholarship to Qianjiang University?”

"Is that true?"

(End of this chapter)