I am not a literary giant

Chapter 139 Synchronicity (10000 words)

Zhao Peilin's so-called "half of the country" refers to Nanjing University's library.

There's a shortcut to the library: walk through the grove of trees, climb up Lijia Mountain, and follow the ridge straight down to reach the Nanjing University Library. If it weren't for Zhao Peilin, this local guide, Wang Zixu would never have known this path.

Lijia Mountain is also a historical and cultural site. Along the way, Zhao Peilin pointed out places to Wang Zixu: this is Guo Moruo's former residence, this is Yu Dafu's old garden, and this is Wen Yiduo's small residence.

The two reached the mountaintop and stopped simultaneously, completely absorbed in the scene. Ancient trees and withered vines surrounded them, the sound of wind rustling through the pines. Looking up, they could see the sky cleaved open by layers of dense pine forest, like a round well, its opening a deep, clear blue, like a mirror. Hidden among the trees, the school buildings with their colorful, glazed tile roofs appeared and disappeared below.

Prince Xu couldn't help but exclaim, "What an outstanding place with such talented people!"

Zhao Peilin's gaze was proud: "This place is blessed with outstanding people."

Prince Xu said, "This is naturally a place of romance and pleasure in the human world."

Zhao Peilin said, "They're willing to let us indulge in our frivolous and reckless behavior."

The two exchanged a smile. Then, Wang Zixu looked down and saw a used condom lying conspicuously in the crevice of a large rock.

For a moment, the atmosphere became somewhat quiet, and both of them were sweating profusely.

"Your school has a rather...free atmosphere. It's very... well, it's very much like the atmosphere of the pre-Qin period."

"Ahem... Our school has quite a few visitors, and the quality of those who come to admire the flowers varies greatly..."

Zhao Peilin cleared his throat sheepishly, deftly shifting the blame to the tourists, and then quickly changed the subject:

"Come, look this way, this is an inscription by Wen Yiduo, the first dean of our Faculty of Arts..."

The hearts of teenagers in their early teens are like public toilets; they're capable of anything and everything. Both of them felt disgusted, and for a moment, even the fallen leaves in the area seemed unclean. They quickly left.

At this point, Wang Zixu's memories were rekindled: every university has a small grove that serves as a secret rendezvous spot, absorbing the idle hormones of the campus day after day, and hosting one pair of lovers after another. And Lijia Mountain clearly took on this important role.

...Even though there are the former gardens of Guo Moruo and Yu Dafu, and the small residence of Wen Yiduo here, it can't stop the wild mandarin ducks from sitting on the stones in the wild and playing tricks on each other.

Prince Xu felt a pang of regret. He shouldn't have walked so fast. He should have picked up that thing and returned the pristine beauty of the mountain where the sages once lived.

Zhao Peilin added that this was Chiang Kai-shek's former command post, and Wen Yiduo lived here after he resigned and went to Beiping.

Prince Xu said, "Oh."

Thinking of this, Wang Zixu finally felt a little better. It was better to leave that thing at Jiang Guangtou's doorstep than at Wen Yijia's doorstep.

Zhao Peilin added that later, when Donghai fell to the Japanese, they drove Chiang Kai-shek away and used this place as their command post.

Prince Xu said, "Oh."

Prince Xu looked back at the mountain. Whether it was Chiang Kai-shek or the Japanese, they had all become ashes of history, unable to withstand the surging libido that was raging here.

Just as the Yangtze River's waves push the previous ones forward, that small condom may simply be a footnote to the continuous evolution of human reproduction.

However, he still hoped that these people would be more careful, even if it meant going out to a hotel.

The two walked down the mountain and through Xiangji Road, where a yellow building stood silently in the bright sunlight.

At first glance, this building seems unremarkable, like most other buildings from the last century, with a rigid shape and somewhat small compared to modern architecture. But upon closer inspection, it reveals a unique charm: the windows are arranged in a staggered pattern, like countless eyes looking outward, and the exterior walls have been gently caressed by time, with the stone bricks imbued with the marks of time.

Wang Zixu said, "This is what you meant by half the country?"

Zhao Peilin said, "Yes."

"Every university has a library."

"A university is not a university without a library."

"China has many universities."

"Countless."

Prince asked humbly, "What makes Nanjing University's library so special?"

Zhao Peilin said, "Nanjing University Library releases two lists every year."

Wang Zixu said, "Oh, I know, one is the library's borrowing list, and the other is the library's best-reviewed list."

It's unclear who set this rule, but every year before the winter solstice, the media publishes the library book lists of Nanjing University and Peking University. The titles are accompanied by some deliberately sensational words, and the links are displayed in rounded squares and circulate in various groups. Even in groups unrelated to literature, such as Wang Zixu's work group, some busybodies will forward them.

These two lists are commonly referred to as the "North and South Lists".

Wang Zixu was curious whether people knew what this word represented historically, but people just called it that arbitrarily, and he couldn't figure it out. For schools like Peking University and Nanjing University, the public held a lot of mystique in their minds, and everyone was very interested in what the students of these two universities were looking at.

The word "attachment to a demon" is mentioned here, and he had previously mentioned "dispelling a demon" to the poet. "Attachment to a demon" and "dispelling a demon" are a pair of words with opposite meanings.

Mystification can be roughly understood as people viewing something through a lens of superiority, a lens that stems from a lack of understanding. Once understood and systematically deconstructed, the mystification is dispelled.

Wang Zixu initially had a strong fascination with the "North and South Lists," but when he saw Shen Qingfeng's name prominently listed on the borrowing list, he naturally lost his fascination.

Students at the two major universities in the north and south mostly didn't have much time to read leisure books in high school. When they got to university, they frantically tried to make up for the cultural loss. The top books on the borrowing list were usually "Pensées" and "The Republic", while the top novels were books by well-known authors such as Mo Yan, Gabriel García Márquez, and Liu Cixin.

Prince Xu had already read these books when he was in high school, so let's leave that aside. Shen Qingfeng's prominent appearance on them, alongside those great names, made him quite envious. After that, he stopped looking at the "North and South Lists".

Prince Xu spread his hands and asked, "Aren't these two lists just media hype?"

Zhao Peilin said, "There's an element of media hype involved, but if it weren't incredibly bizarre, why would the media bother to sensationalize it?"

"What's so strange about it?"

Zhao Peilin said, "You know that major booksellers have sales charts, right? Our predecessors have discovered through calculating sales that any book that appears on the borrowing chart will definitely appear in the bestseller list within two weeks, without exception. Similarly, books that fall off the borrowing chart will definitely disappear from the bestseller list within a month."

After Zhao Peilin finished speaking, he stared at him with a meaningful expression: "Isn't it weird?"

Prince Xu remained silent for a moment, then said, "You mean, this borrowing list is like a barometer for best-selling books?"

"That's right," Zhao Peilin said. "Later on, whenever a new book was released, a huge crowd would come to check our library's borrowing list. All the major booksellers, from small to large, such as Hanqing and Bohan, had informants at Nanjing University. Eventually, the media discovered this and created these two lists."

Wang Zixu said, "This is a case of the expert seeing the details while the layman just watches the show."

"right."

After thinking for a moment, Wang Zixu asked again, unwilling to give up, "Is it really that accurate, without any exceptions?"

Zhao Peilin said, "If there are exceptions, it means the sales rankings are wrong."

Under Wang Zixu's strange gaze, Zhao Peilin explained:

"There were a few books that couldn't be found on the borrowing list, but they were selling like hotcakes on the market. The students followed the trail and found evidence of inflated sales figures. This caused quite a stir after it was exposed."

Wang Zixu sighed, "Then the sales rankings are really wrong."

"Would I lie to you?"

The prince, with a hint of anticipation, asked, "Let me inquire whether Shen Qingfeng's bestseller status is genuine? How high is his ranking on the borrowing list?"

Zhao Peilin looked troubled: "Why bring up that pretentious guy all of a sudden?"

"Just out of curiosity."

Zhao Peilin said, "Although I really dislike him, and he certainly has a marketing element, he's genuinely popular. I used to question bestselling authors in my mind, just like you, so I checked his records. Before he became a sensation, he was already ranked on the borrowing charts, and his growth curve was quite normal."

Seeing the disappointment in Wang Zixu's eyes, he concluded: "I can't say that Shen Qingfeng's bestseller status is 100% clean, but his talent definitely accounts for the majority of the reason."

Wang Zixu was only dejected for a moment before he rallied. He thought that Shen Qingfeng's rise to fame was genuine, which was actually a good thing. If this guy had become a figure like Zhen Guanxi in Xihe purely through marketing, and had once forced himself into such a sorry state, that would have been truly despairing.

His position, Shen Qingfeng's, may not be unchangeable.

"You're so interested in Shen Qingfeng, do you have a personal relationship with him?" Zhao Peilin asked.

Wang Zixu smiled wryly: "In a way, you could say it's a personal relationship, the negative kind. He and I are from the same hometown, and he runs a restaurant called Qingfengju in the area. He's a local bigwig."

Zhao Peilin said, "I understand. Well, you're not so lucky. Although this guy has a bad reputation and has never been on the Nanjing University Library's recommended list, he's very rich. He has 12 books, all of which are bestsellers. We've calculated his income; just the royalties alone are at least over 800."

At this point, Zhao Peilin's expression hardened with gritted teeth: "We Chinese literature students, on the surface, all seem calm and collected, strolling leisurely in the setting sun, but in reality, we want to be on the borrowing list more than anyone else. We'd give anything to get it. Even someone like Shen Qingfeng can be on the list, why can't I? God, I dream of being on the borrowing list at least once in my life, even if it's just to reach Shen Qingfeng's position..."

The prince remained silent.

Outsiders would probably scoff at Zhao Peilin's mindset. But doesn't he share the same mentality?

He remembered how much he had longed for worldly success. Later, he won first place in the Xihe Literary Society, which allowed him to rise slightly from the mire of his life. But when he looked around, he found himself in an even bigger quagmire.

For Zhao Peilin, the borrowing list represents success in the conventional sense.

"Is Shen Qingfeng still on the borrowing list?"

Zhao Peilin laughed, "He's long gone. He hasn't released a new book in two years, has he? The competition for the best-selling books is fierce. Unless you're a true legend, if you don't release a book for a year, you're practically forgotten. He's probably shifted his focus to running his guesthouse. But he's made enough money."

Wang Zixu said, "I have a rumor that he might publish another book soon. However, it seems he's no longer able to write."

Zhao Peilin was initially surprised, then frankly stated, "It's about time I reached the age where I can no longer write. A writer's golden creative years are only a few years; once you relax, it's difficult to pick up the pen again!"

"So who are the people on the list now?"

Zhao Peilin thought for a moment and said, "The dominant positions are always held by the same few. There is no one who can completely replace Shen Qingfeng's ecological niche. In recent years, apart from Long Jia who writes youth literature, Jin Tong who writes suspense, and Xiang Rui Qin Wang who writes imaginative stories, there are no other new faces among male writers. As for female writers, there is Xiao Mengyin."

Wang Zixu was taking notes in his mind when he heard the familiar name. He raised his eyebrows: "Xiao Mengyin?"

"What's wrong?"

"This is at least the third time I've heard her name today."

"After all, she's a hot commodity," Zhao Peilin said. "She's beautiful, good at marketing, and her books are damn well-written."

At the last half of his sentence, Zhao Peilin finally couldn't hold back any longer, almost spitting out his saliva. He shook his head, half in self-reproach and half in self-mockery, and said, "Comparison is the thief of joy!"

"Comparing yourself to others will only make you miserable," Prince Xu said with a wry smile.

The two walked and talked, and before they knew it, they had arrived at the library entrance.

Wang Zixu said, "You haven't mentioned the other list yet. What's the library recommendation list?"

"That list was compiled by combining opinions from my department of literature, recommendations from several professors, and reader feedback. It's no exaggeration to call it a guide for the literary world."

Prince Xu was filled with awe and respect.

Zhao Peilin said, "The recommending judges include not only our Dean of the School of Literature, but also several senior professors, including Professor Zhong, Huang Xinghuo, Ning Bingru, Qin Su..."

These names made Wang Zixu even more respectful: "Ning Bingru, Ning Chunyan's father?"

"That's right."

Wang Zixu said, "Then this recommendation list is extremely valuable!"

Zhao Peilin chuckled, "I knew you'd say that."

Having said that, he looked intently towards the library door: "For a writer, the borrowing list represents the pinnacle of profit, while the recommendation list is the peak of fame. Junior brother, do you write for profit or for fame?"

The prince opened his mouth slightly and began to ask himself the same question: Do I seek profit or fame?

Zhao Peilin smiled: "No need to answer. I know this is a difficult question. Just have your own answer in your heart. But I will tell you, if I could choose, I would want both fame and fortune. Don't play games with me; no writer would refuse that."

Zhao Peilin pushed open the library door: "Come, let me show you around and let you draw some spiritual strength from the list."

Wang Zixu was deeply moved by Zhao Peilin's honesty and frankness. He followed Zhao Peilin solemnly into the library. Immediately, the sounds of breathing, coughing, turning pages, knuckles cracking, pens falling to the floor, and the creaking of chair legs came from all directions. It was very quiet. These sounds surged within the silence.

The library was packed with students preparing for postgraduate entrance exams; every available space at the tables was filled. It seems even Nanjing University students are all racing along their own paths in life. I wonder if they're pursuing fame or fortune.

Zhao Peilin led him to an electronic display screen, which emitted a mysterious white light from its blank surface.

"This is the data source for the Southern List in the North and South Lists," Zhao Peilin said solemnly.

"But there's nothing on it." Prince Xu looked up at the screen and felt that it was towering and majestic.

"Because it's been broken for the past few days. When it's working, it displays borrowing data in real time." Zhao Peilin reached out and placed his hand on it. "Come on, stroke it with me."

Prince Xu placed his hand on it.

He had expected the screen to feel cold to the touch, but was surprised to find it quite warm. The white light emitted by the display generated heat. The area where his palm touched felt rough, and if there was any dust, it was just a thin layer on the surface, barely visible to the eye.

Zhao Peilin asked, "Did you feel its surging call?"

Prince Xu said, "I think I sensed it."

Zhao Peilin said, "Feel it again with more force!"

Prince Xu nodded: "Yes, I felt it!"

Zhao Peilin said, "I felt it too. It's a sign that we are the chosen ones, and that we will surely have a safe journey ahead on this thorny path."

Wang Zixu said, "Could it be an electrical leak?"

"Ahem!"

The two were startled and turned around to see the library security guard, who had noticed their suspicious behavior, walking over with his hands behind his back. He cleared his throat to warn them while giving them a sharp look.

Wang Zixu and Zhao Peilin left in solemn silence.

As they left the library, the two exhaled a breath of fresh air. It was a strange feeling, as if they had sensed the call of the great spirits of this land.

Zhao Peilin smiled and asked, "Has the same flame ignited in your heart as mine?"

"Yes."

"Then we'll be rivals from now on."

"I don't care about superiority or inferiority, nor do I care about life or death; I just want to see how good I am."

"Life has meaning when a person has a goal."

"mutual encouragement."

"mutual encouragement."

Prince Xu gazed at the distant blue sky for a long time before his vision gradually returned to normal. He then asked, "Who is currently ranked highest on the borrowing list?"

After Zhao Peilin finished speaking, he added, "Is there any need to say more? It's definitely the Little Prince."

"what?"

"The Little Prince has been on the borrowing list for months, surpassing not only 'The Three-Body Problem' but also 'Pensées.' I think it will be number one on the North and South lists this year."

Prince Xu: "..."

What is the meaning of life?

Zhao Peilin patted Wang Zixu on the shoulder and said affectionately, "Keep honing your skills. As long as you can reach his level, you will realize your dream."

Prince Xu felt flattered by the praise, but still raised his voice somewhat awkwardly: "The Little Prince's level isn't necessarily very high, is it?"

Zhao Peilin's expression changed: "When did you become so arrogant, Junior Brother?"

"Didn't Professor Zhong say that the foundation is too shallow and the content is insufficient..."

"Cough cough..."

Zhao Peilin coughed twice, looking embarrassed, and said in a low voice, "Junior brother, Professor Zhong's praise or criticism of the Little Prince is his personal preference, we don't need to take it as the only standard..."

Wang Zixu said, "I think Professor Zhong is right. In my opinion, they are just games. There are still many parts that need polishing."

Zhao Peilin looked around nervously: "Junior brother, let's keep these things to ourselves. Don't say them outside, especially not on the Nanjing University campus..."

Wang Zixu said, "Nanjing University is so big, can't it tolerate even the smallest praise or criticism? Even the Little Prince himself wouldn't be so intolerant of criticism..."

As Zhao Peilin was covered in sweat, a voice suddenly came from behind him:

"Oh, who's going to criticize the Little Prince?"

The two turned around and saw a smiling face. A slightly chubby girl wearing a sundress and holding a coat was standing behind them.

Zhao Peilin smiled at her: "Xu Rongrong, what are you doing here?"

Xu Rongrong laughed and said, "Why can't I be here? I was sitting inside studying when I saw you two sneaking around like that. What, bringing your junior here on another pilgrimage?"

Zhao Peilin laughed and said, "You still need to review? Didn't you already get accepted into a graduate program?"

Xu Rongrong said, "But I'm still restless inside. I'm still wondering if I should go to Peking University and switch to a major that's more suitable for employment..."

Zhao Peilin said, "I admire you."

Xu Rongrong looked at Wang Zixu and said with a smile, "Could you introduce this junior to me?"

Zhao Peilin quickly introduced the two parties.

Xu Rongrong is a senior majoring in Chinese literature. According to Zhao Peilin, she is the most enthusiastic certificate enthusiast he has ever met (Xu Rongrong jokingly scolds him as the most talkative person she has ever met). 365 days a year, she is either taking exams or on her way to take exams.

After Zhao Peilin introduced Wang Zixu, Xu Rongrong's eyes widened and she said, "Wang Zixu? You're that straight guy who rejected our student council president Lu Qingxuan's invitation to be friends and almost made her cry?"

Wang Zixu and Zhao Peilin exchanged bewildered glances. Zhao Peilin said, "Damn, how did you know about what just happened?"

"Did this just happen? The group chat is buzzing with it."

Zhao Peilin turned to Wang Zixu: "This is why I don't recommend you talk about the Little Prince anymore. You haven't even arrived yet, and you've already offended 85% of the boys in the department through Lu Qingxuan. If you publicly express a few words of disdain for the Little Prince, you'll offend 85% of the girls in the department as well. You haven't even started school yet, and you've already offended everyone in the department."

Prince Xu was shocked: "Is it that serious?"

"You think? Lu Qingxuan is quite popular in our department. I wanted to remind you before, but I didn't dare to say it."

"I'm not talking about Lu Qingxuan, I'm talking about the Little Prince."

"Of course," Xu Rongrong said, pouting. "Which girl at Nanjing University doesn't like The Little Prince?"

Xu Rongrong continued, "Our Chinese Department at Nanjing University has never lacked arrogant and conceited talented men and women. When everyone first entered the campus, they all looked down on themselves. As a result, everyone was hit hard by the same thing. It's because our department is full of hidden talents and geniuses. No matter how great a genius is, they will find that they are nothing."

"Wang Zixu, you're probably the most high-profile one in our department this year. But I'm just giving you a friendly reminder: don't let your spirits be dampened and you become discouraged. There are precedents for that."

Wang Zixu was both amused and exasperated, pointing to himself, "Me, high-profile?"

"Aren't you going to be high-profile? I've never seen a student more outstanding than you."

Prince Xu felt quite dazed.

In his past workplace, everyone said that Wang Zixu was a quiet, unassuming person who never uttered a word, and sometimes they would even forget he existed, like he was invisible. At that time, he also felt quite innocent—he didn't want to become invisible, it was just that everyone wanted to think that way.

When he arrived at Nanjing University, people said that he was the most outstanding student in his class, and that he was too high-profile—but this was not intentional on his part; he didn't think he was high-profile at all.

This world is too big, big enough for a person to live with several faces. Wang Zixu felt like an actor rushing from one scene to another. He had just finished filming for the Xihe drama crew, and now he had received a new filming offer from Donghai—a role that required him to play a high-profile person.

Xu Rongrong tucked her hair behind her ear: "Why do you look down on the Little Prince? Are you jealous of how popular he is with women?"

Wang Zixu quickly shook his head: "It's not that I look down on it, it's just that I think... uh, how should I put it? It's an exaggeration. Purely from a literary perspective."

Xu Rongrong exclaimed anxiously, "Where is that an exaggeration? I know you won first place representing Nanjing University in the Xihe Literature Club, but you can't be this arrogant!"

The prince was taken aback.

Xu Rongrong said, "I've read your novel too. Although it's not in the same genre as The Little Prince, I have to say, The Little Prince's works are much more interesting. You want to move towards the serious literary world, but frankly, with your level of writing, I'm afraid you'll have a hard time making a living that way..."

Zhao Peilin turned to look at Wang Zixu, his eyes filled with helplessness, as if to say, "See, what did I tell you?"

Prince Xu didn't see the point in arguing with her over his reputation, so he nodded and said, "Yes, you're right."

Xu Rongrong continued, "Although you don't need to know how to make a refrigerator to evaluate it, you are a writer yourself. If you don't reach the corresponding level, your evaluation is not credible. So I'm very unhappy that you said The Little Prince is an exaggeration. Because your own abilities haven't convinced me, I naturally won't believe your evaluation of The Little Prince's abilities."

Wang Zixu nodded again, "Yes, yes, you're right."

Zhao Peilin sighed, rubbing his forehead. This was why he had stopped Wang Zixu earlier; as the saying goes, loose lips sink ships, and this was the consequence. He knew that Xu Rongrong wouldn't let it go until she had her fill of words. He could only let his junior brother Wang Zixu suffer for now. After all, he was too sharp-tongued.

What he didn't know was that Prince Xu wasn't suffering; on the contrary, he seemed to enjoy it. A strange expression remained on his face, unsure whether he should be happy or unhappy.

Xu Rongrong softened her tone a bit and continued, "Moreover, even though they both came from the Xihe Literary Society, Xiao Mengyin's output is much higher, okay? Before she won the award at the literary society, she had already published a collection of short stories. Less than half a year after winning the award, she published a novella, which was serialized in 'Yangtze River.' This year, she even won the Fei Shi Literary Award directly with a novel..."

"Wait, wait, wait..." Prince Xu reached out to stop her from continuing. He couldn't stay calm when the topic turned to other people. "Xiao Mengyin also participated in the Xihe Literary Gathering? She's also from Xihe?"

Even Zhao Peilin was surprised to see this: "No, Xiao Mengyin, like you, is also participating in the Xihe Literary Gathering as a specially invited contributor."

The prince was startled: "She's from the Southern University?"

Xu Rongrong exclaimed in surprise, "You didn't know?"

"I really don't know. I only recently heard about her. I don't know much about her."

Wang Zixu recalled that the first time she heard this name was when she tried to piggyback on the Little Prince's fame on Weibo.

Xu Rongrong wore a knowing expression, as if to say, "Look, Xiao Mengyin also provoked the Little Prince, but nobody said anything, not even the Little Prince. Because she has the ability. You're not younger than Xiao Mengyin, are you? If you had her achievements, I guarantee I wouldn't say anything when commenting on the Little Prince. One should be humble; humility leads to progress..."

Zhao Peilin quickly stepped in to smooth things over: "Alright, alright, let's not talk about this. There's no first place in literature, and arguing about it can easily lead to quarrels. Besides, Junior Brother Wang is just very humble, not what you think."

Xu Rongrong had reservations about this, and remained silent with her arms crossed. Zhao Peilin said, "You're free this afternoon, how about we go play some cards together?"

Hearing this, she immediately changed her attitude: "Okay, I feel like I'm getting a little tense, I need to relax. Who do we call for mahjong if we're short one player?"

"We can just grab anyone we find. Even a dog on the street will fight here."

"Shall we go to the restaurant at the end of the universe?"

"Hmm, let's go to the restaurant at the end of the universe."

Wang Zixu was completely bewildered, not understanding what Guandan was or where the end of the universe was. But Zhao Peilin patted him on the shoulder and said, "Since you've taken the postgraduate entrance exam, you'll have to learn how to play Guandan sooner or later. Play a couple of rounds with us today and you'll get it. There's no end to learning."

Zhao Peilin seemed to have a thing for Xu Rongrong; he acted much more respectable and less interesting when talking to her. Wang Zixu listened to their conversation half-heartedly, then pulled out his phone behind them. A familiar profile picture popped up, and the chat history read:

"Beep beep beep".

"Beep beep beep" is their code, meaning they want to talk to you. Prince switched to his alternate account and sent a message to the girl with the cat avatar:

"I'm here."

Qiu Ge: "What are you doing?"

The Little Prince: "Being with friends."

In the past few months, besides writing, Wang Zixu has spent most of his time chatting with Ning Chunyan as the Little Prince.

They added each other on WeChat two months ago. By then, they had already exchanged tens of thousands of words of text messages on Wen'ai's platform. Considering that Wen'ai's verbal therapy would be recorded in the background, and that insisting on not having a private relationship at this point would be an extreme act of stubbornness, he privately added Miss Qiuge as a friend, and they continued to chat on the app afterwards.

"Is it a male friend or a female friend?"

Wang Zixu looked up at the sky and asked, "I have male friends and female friends. What's wrong?"

The other side remained noncommittal, simply typing back a single, dismissive word: "Hmph."

Wang Zixu wrote: "I've noticed you're becoming increasingly possessive; perhaps adding you as a friend was a mistake."

Qiu Ge: "No way, what possessiveness? I was just expressing my dissatisfaction at being ignored all day. Whether you play cards with your male friends or sleep with your female friends, it's none of my business."

Wang Zixu was taken aback: "How did you know? I was just about to go."

Half a day later, a message finally came from the other end: "I don't want to talk."

The Little Prince: "I meant playing 'Guan Dan' (a card game), not rolling around in bed. What bed? I'd be a third wheel. How do you know 'Guan Dan'? You know how to play it?"

Hearing that he wasn't planning on having sex, Ning Chunyan was happy again and sent a message:

"Hehe. My dad taught me that. I spend holidays at home playing with relatives."

The Little Prince: "That sounds very happy."

Qiu Ge: "It is indeed quite blissful. However, my hands are too small, I can't hold the cards properly, they always fall."

After she finished speaking, she sent Wang Zixu a photo of her own hand. Wang Zixu noticed that she had just gotten a manicure.

Wang Zixu suspected that she brought up the topic of Guandan (a card game) just to send him this photo so that he would compliment her nail art.

After complimenting her manicure as she wished, the prince sent her a fake message: "Have you ever heard of 'synchronicity'?"

Qiu Ge: "I've heard of it. Jung proposed it, right?"

The Little Prince: "Recently, when I first hear a concept, I hear it repeatedly in unrelated situations for a very short period of time. It might be a person's name, or it might be 'Guandan' (a card game). Have you ever had a similar experience?"

Qiu Ge: "Yes, yes, yes! Absolutely! And it happens all the time! Is this what synchronicity is?"

The Little Prince: "I don't know. But I think it's somewhat similar; you could describe it as synchronic, right?"

Qiu Ge: "It can be described using big data analysis of fate. Whatever you experience in life, those same things start to reappear, because fate is guessing what you like."

The Little Prince: "That's good. Fate watches over everyone. But you're the one who suddenly brought up playing cards. According to Occam's Razor, you're the one who wouldn't be watching me, right?"

Qiu Ge: "Yes, yes, be careful. Big Brother is watching you."

Even through the screen, Wang Zixu could almost see Ning Chunyan's face, which could be both happy and angry, blinking at him while poking and pointing with her jade-like fingers, revealing a sly expression.

He nervously tucked his phone into his pocket.

Since adding her privately, he has become increasingly unprofessional. His chats with Qiu Ge have long since strayed from the realm of "flirting" and mostly consist of mundane family matters and trivial things that only friends or those with a higher level of friendship would discuss.

Perhaps we can remove the "wen" from "wen ai" and just use "ai" as in ambiguous.

He still doesn't know how to define his relationship with her, and she, perhaps for some reason, has never brought up the topic. The two carefully maintain their online distance.

The prince fantasized for a moment about how Ning Chun would react if his identity as a prince were ever exposed.

Whenever he thought of this, he felt a chill run down his spine, and even when the autumn heat was at its fiercest, his hands and feet felt icy cold.

The girl swayed from side to side as she walked ahead, like a drunk driver who had gone out of control, walking in a zigzag pattern, while playing on her phone and laughing out loud. Two long, white legs were visible beneath her pleated skirt.

Ning's mother frowned as she looked at her daughter, and whispered to Ning Bingru beside her, "Xiaochun seems to be a bit restless lately."

Ning Bingru sighed, "After all, I've reached this age..."

"When should we ask her to bring her boyfriend home so we can give her our opinion? She's always like this; it's not very reassuring."

Ning Bingru sighed and remained silent. He was also worried, but he was quite open-minded and didn't want to bring it up before his daughter did. After all, it was her own business.

Suddenly, a figure in a little dress blocked her way. Ning Chunyan looked up from her phone and saw the girl holding a gorgeous parasol looking at her with a forced smile.

"Little Chun, it's been a long time! What a coincidence!"

Ning Chunyan didn't really want to greet this person, but since she'd bumped into him face-to-face, she couldn't just ignore him. After struggling with her feelings for a while, she finally gave in and said:

"Xiao Mengyin, what are you doing here?"

The girl in the black dress twirled the parasol in her hand, causing the lace trim around the edge to flutter.

"I came to see someone I'd wanted to see for a long time but hadn't, but instead I met you, someone I hadn't seen in ages. This strange twist of fate—should it bring joy or sorrow?"

Ning Chunyan grimaced at the affected tone, wanting to use her parents as an excuse to escape, but Ning Bingru, oblivious to his daughter's thoughts, stepped forward and said:

"Mengyin, congratulations on winning the award."

Xiao Mengyin curtsied in a noble manner: "Thank you, Teacher Ning. Have you read my new work?"

Ning Bingru smiled and said, "I haven't had a chance to see it yet."

"I have another autographed copy. If it's convenient for you, I can mail it to you later."

"No need, I've already bought it, I just haven't looked at it yet."

Ning Bingru turned to Ning Chunyan and said, "Xiaochun, you should chat with your friends more. We're leaving now."

Ning Chunyan reached out helplessly, but could not stop their retreating figures.

Xiao Mengyin maintained her forced smile: "Speaking of which, are you planning to participate in the next Fei Shi Literary Award?"

Ning Chunyan turned to look at her helplessly.

She and Xiao Mengyin grew up in the same courtyard when they were young, so they could be considered childhood sweethearts.

The reason she was unwilling to talk to this childhood sweetheart was partly because he was too competitive, and partly because she had previously tried to ride on the Little Prince's popularity on Weibo.

Ning Chunyan held a grudge.

"I prefer appreciating literature to creating it. I won't participate in any literary awards. What about you? Are you planning to participate in the next one?" Ning Chunyan said.

"Hehehehe..."

Xiao Mengyin laughed exaggeratedly and said, "I'm the same as you; I actually prefer appreciating. However, the reason I'm not participating in Fei Shi isn't because I can't write. The next time I appear at Fei Shi, it will be as a judge. Since I've already won, I'll give the opportunity to someone else."

"Well……"

Ning Chunyan felt she was being humiliated, but couldn't find a reason to criticize her. The experience was utterly disgusting.

Xiao Mengyin added, "I do have a candidate I really think is a good fit. He's going to participate in the next Fei Shi Literary Award, which is why I came here today to see him."

Ning Chunyan recalled the image of Wang Zixu and said, "Isn't this a coincidence? I also have a candidate I highly recommend, and he will also be participating in the next Fei Shi Literary Award."

Xiao Mengyin leaned closer and asked, "Who is it?"

"You don't recognize him." Ning Chunyan waved her hand. "And you? Who are you talking about?"

Xiao Mengyin chuckled again: "You don't know him either."

After saying that, she seemed unable to resist adding, "He's a very talented junior. I heard he's quite handsome too."

Ning Chunyan gave a disgusted look: "You look so greasy."

"Tch, don't tell me you don't like junior students. Hypocritical."

Meanwhile, the principle of synchronicity is at work with its powerful force: at this very moment, the boy Xiao Mengyin mentioned is walking into the temporary registration point formed by the basketball court, heading towards Lu Qingxuan who is sitting upright.

(End of this chapter)