A Single Person's Infinite Wonderful Life

"Um, sorry to bother you." Kasumigaoka Utaha didn't expect Li Wei to stop; she wasn't prepared to talk to him.

“What’s there to disturb? Senior, you seem troubled. Is there a problem?” Li Wei said.

Kasumigaoka Utaha pulled up a chair and sat down, saying, "I have indeed encountered a problem, but it won't take too long. Five minutes will be enough for me."

Kasumigaoka Utaha knew that disturbing others' work was a bad thing, and she didn't want to take up too much of Li Wei's time. What creators fear most is being interrupted when they have inspiration. She understood how uncomfortable that feeling was and naturally didn't want to become that kind of annoying person.

Li Wei smiled and said, "Senior, there's no need to be so reserved. You can speak freely if you have any questions. Besides, I also have something I'd like to ask you for a favor later."

Kasumigaoka Utaha nodded. She didn't know what Li Wei wanted to say, but she wanted to figure out the problem she was facing.

Kasumigaoka Utaha looked at Li Wei's laptop screen and said, "Li Wei, your works seem to emphasize the story more than the characters. How do you view the balance between story and characters?"

Li Wei crossed his arms, looking thoughtful. After a moment's hesitation, he gave his answer: "My personal style is more inclined to prioritize the story over the characters. All the characters must serve the story; otherwise, the rhythm will break down as I write."

Kasumigaoka Utaha said, "I see. But Li Weijun and I are on opposite paths. I'm only good at character portrayal, and my grasp of the plot is weaker. It's probably because of the different types of works. I've never been able to control the rhythm of the whole story. I'm like an observer, providing a stage and letting the characters I write do their own thing. I'm just recording their actions."

Li Wei laughed and said, "This is a very good writing style. With this method, you can write very realistic stories, and they are full of twists and turns, which can easily arouse the interest of readers."

Kasumigaoka Utaha sighed. Everyone likes to hear pleasant things, and she was no exception. But as it turned out, this writing style wasn't really suitable for her. The results of her first novel proved a lot. If it weren't for Aki Tomoya promoting her on his blog, her first work would have been canceled long ago.

Even with Aki Tomoya's recommendation, her first work, now completed, has only sold a mere 500,000 copies across all volumes, a significant blow to her. This experience led her to doubt her writing abilities. She had read other authors' works on the same topic, and the more she read, the more she realized the shortcomings in her own writing.

If these problems are not overcome, the new series will repeat the tragedy of the first book. That's why, after the first book was officially completed, she didn't rush to start the second book, but instead kept honing her skills, wanting to make the second book reach a higher level.

Kasumigaoka Utaha sighed and said, "Li Wei-kun, I appreciate your comfort, but it turns out that the writing style I used is not so suitable for light novels. My first work used this writing style, but it faced cancellation in the second volume. If it weren't for someone's help, my first work would have ended in a mess."

Li Wei asked in feigned surprise, "Senior, are you a light novel author?"

"I don't deserve the title of 'author.' I'm just an ordinary light novel author, and a third-rate one at that, whose first work didn't even do very well," Kasumigaoka Utaha said with a wry smile.

Li Wei feigned surprise, remained silent for a moment, and then said, "Senior, may I have the honor of reading your work?"

Li Wei was at a loss for words. Kasumigaoka Utaha's attitude of treating him like trash was like a Versailles show. He knew that many light novel authors' first works didn't do very well. For a debut work to sell 50 copies was enough to make many light novel authors envious. Keep in mind, *Love Metronome* only had five volumes, meaning that Kasumigaoka Utaha's first work sold over 10 copies per volume—a feat many veteran authors couldn't achieve.

Kasumigaoka Utaha stood up and said, "I didn't bring the physical book, but I have the original manuscript saved on my computer. Li Weijun, is that alright?"

Li Wei saved what he was writing and said, "Then I'll take my leave. I'm also very curious about your work, senior."

Li Wei was genuinely curious about the legendary "Love Metronome." He knew that when he watched anime before, his curiosity was useless; he wasn't a character in the anime and naturally couldn't see the "nested doll" effect found only in anime. But now it was different. Before him was a real girl, not an anime character on screen. Naturally, "Love Metronome" was a real work, and seeing something he'd always been curious about was a delightful experience.

Kasumigaoka Utaha led Li Wei to her computer, pulled up the document, and said, "Please."

Li Wei nodded, sat down in front of the computer, and began browsing the manuscript with the mouse.

"I just came from South Korea not long ago, so I'm not very familiar with the light novel industry. Hmm? Love Metronome, that sounds familiar... Isn't that the award-winning newcomer series that sold over 50 copies?" Li Wei feigned surprise.

Kasumigaoka Utaha sighed and said, "I only wrote the first and second volumes of this work on my own. The remaining three volumes were completed with the advice of others, and I made a lot of compromises to achieve a relatively good ending. This makes me feel like a failure."

Li Wei pretended to be puzzled and said, "Isn't this a very good result? Why feel like a failure? Sales of 500,000 copies show that readers really like your writing style, senior. There's no need to change your style."

Chapter 20. The Love Metronome

Li Wei began to read it carefully.

It must be said that Kasumigaoka Utaha's writing is excellent, at least far superior to his. However, this is quite normal, as his style focuses on the smoothness of the story, and as for the writing style, it's just about being appropriate, without excessively pursuing ornate language.

However, Kasumigaoka Utaha writes romance novels, and if her writing isn't delicate enough, she won't be able to capture the complex emotions of young boys and girls.

Therefore, in Li Wei's view, there is no real difference in writing quality; aside from truly poor writing skills, most writing is just about being suitable.

"Wow, that's amazing! I could never write something with such a delicate style," Li Wei exclaimed.

He read very quickly, turning the pages steadily and rapidly, and every now and then he would express his opinions on the content, letting Kasumigaoka Utaha know that he was not just giving her a perfunctory answer.

Kasumigaoka Utaha was increasingly surprised as she listened. She hadn't expected that Li Wei's level of expertise far exceeded her expectations. His sharp yet concise comments were similar to, or even more detailed than, the advice her editor had given him. This showed that Li Wei's level of expertise was indeed guaranteed.

Li Wei knew that some minor flaws were unchangeable; they were part of personal style, and no novel could please everyone. Kasumigaoka Utaha wrote light novels, not traditional literature. Compared to the irresponsible pronouncements of those "critics," his advice was quite pertinent.

After all, Li Wei is an old flop with millions of words of writing experience. Although his results have never been great, he is still quite experienced, albeit with some of the detours he has learned from his failures.

It took Li Wei almost an hour to finally finish reading the first volume, "Love Metronome".

The content of the first volume is quite amazing, no wonder it was able to stand out among many competitors. Although it faltered in the second round, it is undeniable that the first volume is a golden start in the light novel world, just like the golden three chapters in the opening of a web novel.

Kasumigaoka Utaha, with an expectant expression on her face, whispered, "How is it?"

"The overall quality is already very high, senior. Aren't you satisfied? I'll buy a physical copy to keep when I get back. This kind of story is worth the money for readers," Li Wei said.

Li Wei wasn't flattering Kasumigaoka Utaha, but rather that "Love Metronome" was truly of very high quality. Its beautiful and ornate writing style was quite impressive, even within the realm of traditional literature.

As for the loose pacing and tedious details, these are common problems in Japanese light novels. It's not just Kasumigaoka Utaha who has these minor flaws. And if you're lenient, these minor flaws aren't really a problem at all.

Kasumigaoka Utaha said, "I put a lot of effort into the first volume and completed it after researching a lot of information. However, because it started too high, the later content went downhill. Coupled with my somewhat problematic writing style, the whole story fell apart more and more as I wrote it."

Li Wei thought about it and realized that Kasumigaoka Utaha was setting too high a standard for herself. As a new author, it was already quite good that her first work was of this caliber.

As for the second volume and beyond, he hasn't read them yet, so he doesn't dare to comment. But if they're all of the same quality as the first volume, then they're definitely masterpieces.

Seeing Li Wei's expectant look, Kasumigaoka Utaha sighed and said, "The Love Metronome has five volumes in total, and has sold about 50 copies in total. However, the first volume sold 17 copies, the second volume sold 12 copies, and from the third volume onwards, the sales of each volume were lower than the last. The fifth volume, which is the last volume, only sold 4 copies."

Li Wei was stunned. This was no longer a simple case of a high start followed by a decline; it was a complete collapse. From 17 copies sold per volume of the first volume to only 4 copies sold per volume of the fifth volume, this was a drop resembling a stock market crash with a circuit breaker.

Kasumigaoka Utaha had a bitter smile on her face: "By the time of the second volume, this work had already fallen apart because I let the characters develop freely, so it deviated from the main storyline. After the second volume ended, although it sold 12 copies, the reviews kept declining. There was even a saying at the time that I had run out of ideas."

Li Wei was somewhat surprised that Kasumigaoka Utaha knew the allusion of "Jiang Lang's talent has run dry," but the second volume was so bad that, to be honest, it was a bit unreasonable; it collapsed too quickly.

Kasumigaoka Utaha continued, "Originally, it was going to be canceled after two volumes, but with the help of a junior from my school, my first work managed to salvage some of its reputation and was able to get the right to release a new volume. But even so, the sales figures kept declining, and by the time it was finished, the sales figures had completely collapsed. It was only thanks to the first and second volumes that the average score was raised and the total sales barely reached more than 500,000 copies."

"Is it Aki Tomoya?" Li Wei asked with a smile.

"You know Li Weijun?" Kasumigaoka Utaha asked, somewhat surprised.

Li Wei nodded, closed the document for the first volume of "Love Metronome," and said, "I know, he's fantasizing about making a love game and is looking for members everywhere."

Kasumigaoka Utaha sighed and said, "His idea is just an idea. It's too unrealistic. Without any plan, just relying on enthusiasm and action, you can't do this kind of thing."

Li Wei laughed and said, "I know, that's why I invested ten million in him to let him try it out. What if the game turns out well?"

Kasumigaoka Utaha looked at Li Wei with a strange expression. She couldn't understand whether the young man in front of her had too much money to burn or was really stupid, willing to invest in such an unreliable plan.

Looking at Kasumigaoka Utaha's strange expression, Li Wei still smiled and said, "Senior, you don't need to look at me like that. I'm just doing this out of interest. Like Aki, I have a dream of making games, but my dream is too big to be realized in a short time. So I'm sponsoring Aki to fulfill his dream, which also lets me experience making games and accumulate experience in independent game development, laying the foundation for my own games in the future."

Kasumigaoka Utaha still found it hard to accept this statement. This wasn't just one thousand yen, but ten million, equivalent to two or three years' income for an average person. How could Li Wei possibly take such a large sum of money to invest in a game with no hope of success? In any case, she would absolutely not do something so foolish.

Chapter 21. The True Colors Revealed

Kasumigaoka Utaha sighed. The boy in front of her, who was like sunshine, was just as willful as she was. In fact, Li Wei was much more willful than her.

At least she would never take out ten million to let someone like Aki Tomoya, who only talks big, mess around. It is undeniable that Aki Tomoya has a strong drive that most people cannot match, but some things cannot be solved by just taking action. This world is cruel. Without enough talent, even the strongest drive is a waste of effort.

"Senior, you think my decision is absurd, right?" Li Wei noticed Kasumigaoka Utaha's hesitation, but he didn't feel offended. After all, anyone with a normal brain would think what he did was just recklessly burning money.

Kasumigaoka Utaha didn't speak, she just nodded.

Li Wei moved his computer over, plugged the cable into the outlet in the corner of the wall, sat down in front of his computer, and opened the "Black Room" word processing software again.

"I know that what I'm doing seems crazy to many people, but if you don't go crazy while you're young, you might not have the time to do these things later," Li Wei said calmly, looking at Kasumigaoka Utaha's pretty face.

Kasumigaoka Utaha took a deep breath: "I have to admit that Aki Tomoya is quite capable, but he is not a qualified creator. By entrusting such an important task to him, Li Weijun, you have no intention of recouping your investment costs, do you?"

Kasumigaoka Utaha was also speaking the truth. Although Aki Tomoya had helped her and her first work was revived as a result, although the results were still not ideal, at least it was not canceled, which is a treatment that many new authors dare not even dream of.

The competition in the light novel industry is extremely fierce. Most of the established authors have unfinished first works. It is very common for a work to be canceled halfway through. The remaining unfinished parts are mostly completed out of passion and then made available online for readers to watch for free.

Authors who can successfully complete their first work are extremely rare, if not exceptionally rare.

“You won’t know the outcome of some things unless you try them. Besides, I will also be involved in the game’s production, so I’ll take responsibility. The game’s quality shouldn’t be so bad that people can’t play it.” Li Wei was multitasking, typing on the keyboard while communicating with Kasumigaoka Utaha.

After NZT-48 developed the brain's potential, Li Wei gained the ability to think in multiple directions. Multitasking was no challenge for him, and with a little effort, multitasking was not a problem either.

Kasumigaoka Utaha was somewhat surprised: "Li Wei-kun, are you going to write the script yourself? The script that Aki Tomoya gave was extremely rudimentary, and could not even be considered a script. It is not an easy task to complete such a rudimentary existence that is like a stick figure."

Li Wei's hands flew across the keyboard, and characters appeared rapidly on the screen: "I am confident in my abilities, and I have not introduced myself yet."

Kasumigaoka Utaha became interested. If Li Wei could get that eccentric Aki Tomoya to make a proper game, he must have some special skills.

Li Wei stopped what he was doing, looked at Kasumigaoka Utaha, and smiled, "Because I'm a jack-of-all-trades. I not only have considerable writing skills, but also a lot of drawing experience. I've done quite a few commercial illustrations before. At the same time, I've passed the tenth level in both piano and violin. Although I can't compare to top performers, I'm not someone that ordinary performers can match. Besides playing instruments, I also have a good talent for composing. I can handle all three roles by myself. Even if Aki-kun isn't capable enough, with me as a backup, the game will definitely be made."

Kasumigaoka Utaha was deeply shocked. She had always thought she was already quite good, but there was always someone better. Li Wei's existence made her realize what true skill was. He was a triple threat in writing, painting, and music. Could an ordinary person achieve this level?

Kasumigaoka Utaha took a deep breath: "I don't quite understand. Since you have such abilities, Li Weijun, why don't you go it alone? Aki Tomoya doesn't have any special talents. What benefit would it bring you to bring him along?"

Li Wei looked at the screen and continued typing: "I guess you could say I'm feeling my way across the river by touching the stones, and An Yi is that stone. It's a win-win situation for both of us. He creates his dating game, and I gain a lot of practical experience."

Kasumigaoka Utaha said, "Does Li Weijun think you're some rich young master who doesn't care about money? Ten million, just like that, you hand it over to someone who's not even half-baked to squander?"

Li Wei laughed and said, "I admit that An Yi is indeed a jack-of-all-trades. He has very professional appreciation skills, but his creative ability is practically zero. However, what I need is his professional appreciation skills. Such a whetstone is very rare."

Seeing Kasumigaoka Utaha's conflicted expression, Li Wei smiled and said, "Now, I sincerely invite you to join my team and play games with us."

"Are you serious? Li Wei, that guy An Yi is being ridiculous, and you're even joining in." Kasumigaoka Utaha thought to herself, Li Wei really is rich and willful.

Li Wei laughed and said, "With me here, no matter how much nonsense we go on, there will be a result. And I'm different from An Yi-kun. He's always trying to trick people into working for him for free. He can't come up with any other tricks besides empty promises. But with me, I will give the participants appropriate rewards. Let's not even talk about how the revenue generated after the game is released will be divided. Just becoming a full-time scriptwriter in the production team will give you a production subsidy of 70 yen per month. I guarantee that you won't be working for free, senior."

Kasumigaoka Utaha shook her head: "This is already higher than the monthly salary of many senior office workers. It's not appropriate to receive such a subsidy without having done anything right."

Li Wei smiled and said, "I believe in your abilities, Ms. Xia Shizi. This game development team won't disband easily. I have a game that needs to be made later, and I'll need to trouble you, senior, to try and win you over in advance. It won't do me any harm. After all, the detailed descriptive skills that I lack can only be made up for by you, senior."

“Although I’m happy that you praised me like that, Li Weijun, the monthly subsidy of 70 is really too high. 50 would be enough,” Kasumigaoka Utaha said.

Chapter 22. Successful Deception

Kasumigaoka Utaha can understand Li Wei's point of view. After all, compared to Aki Tomoya's method of just making empty promises, Li Wei's approach of mutual benefit is more in line with the needs of ordinary people. Effort and reward must be equal. If there is only effort without reward, conflicts will naturally arise over time.

Kasumigaoka Utaha understood why Levi wanted to bring her into the production team. Levi needed her abilities to complement his; Levi excelled at depicting large-scale scenes and maintaining a smooth narrative pace. Levi's attention to detail wasn't as perfect, which was Utaha's strength.

Moreover, joining Li Wei's game development team has another advantage: she can exchange writing techniques with Li Wei at any time. For her, the role of scriptwriter on the game development team is just a part-time job; her main profession has always been that of a light novel writer.