I am not a literary giant

Chapter 153 Seeing the dragon in the field is a good way to meet the master

Ning Chunyan stared at him with an extremely serious expression.

"You just said it smells nice, what exactly do you mean by smelling nice?"

Seeing Ning Chunyan's thoughts drifting further and further away, Wang Zixu quickly pulled her back.

"Don't go too far, she and I are just roommates."

"oh."

Ning Chunyan thought for a moment, then realized what she meant: "You're the one who's being ridiculous. Who buys a house with someone of the opposite sex and then lives together? Won't something spark inevitably fly?"

"Huh? I don't think it's a big deal."

"Of course you, who benefited from the situation, don't think it's a big deal. That certain divine country has been encroaching on its neighbors' territory for decades without saying a word. Only after being beaten up by its neighbors did it run to the international arena to whine and complain. That's called getting a bargain and then acting innocent."

Ning Chunyan had never lived with anyone before. The literary works she had read led her to imagine the theme of "cohabitation" as filled with accidental exposure, impulsive sexual encounters, and feelings developing over time. Therefore, the feeling of blushing was particularly difficult for her to accept.

Wang Zixu raised his hands to stop her from speaking: "I said stop, stop. Your perspective on this matter is completely different from the facts."

"So what is the actual situation?"

"The truth is, when I first graduated from university, I stayed in Tianjing for half a year, right? I just found a job and took it."

"Huh? What does this have to do with anything?"

"Let me finish."

"Okay, continue."

"At that time, I lived in a house that someone else had converted. A commercial apartment was divided into eight rooms, each room was only the size of a palm, just big enough to fit a bed, and there were more than a dozen people living there, both men and women."

"There are only two toilets in the whole house, one with a shower and the other without a shower, so you can only relieve yourself. Every night after 8 o'clock, you have to grab your basin and rush to the toilet. Men and women line up together, and you can see the blurry outlines of the people inside through the semi-transparent glass, but of course you can't see anything clearly."

"There's a balcony right by the main entrance, where everyone's clothes are hung out to dry, even their underwear. When you go out, purple, pink, and flesh-colored bras and panties are dangling overhead, dripping water, and sometimes when the wind is strong, they even stick to your face."

After a long pause, Prince Xu asked, "Does this count as cohabitation?"

Ning Chunyan hesitated, "No... I guess it doesn't count?"

"As roommates with Ye Lan, we interact even less. We rarely see each other; we're always in our own rooms, and even the bathroom and balcony are separate. If it's not by chance, we often don't run into each other all day. We're all adults and very mindful of boundaries."

After Wang Zixu finished speaking, Ning Chunyan actually felt a little convinced. She still felt uncomfortable, but she didn't know why.

"Your living conditions were so bad before?"

Wang Zixu laughed self-deprecatingly, "Isn't this how most fresh graduates in this era drift to Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou? My situation is considered pretty good; most people can only afford to live in basements."

"I don't do that."

"You are different."

Ning Chunyan gave a disgusted look: "Isn't it a bit inappropriate to hang underwear out to dry? What if you run into a pervert?"

"If we don't dry them outside, there's nowhere else to dry them. The room is so small, it doesn't even have a window. If we dry them indoors, they'll smell terrible. If we don't want to walk around wearing smelly underwear, we have no choice but to dry them outside. That's what it's like when you're poor; being decent is a luxury."

"...Never mind, let's drive."

The two arrived at Prince Xu's house, thankfully Ye Lan wasn't there. As soon as they entered, Ning Chunyan became alert, rushing into the house, her nose twitching like a dog's (it's unclear what she was trying to sniff out), searching everywhere.

What are you doing?

Ning Chunyan didn't answer. After walking around the various rooms, she returned with a furrowed brow but didn't say anything.

The house was so empty that there wasn't even a television in the living room, so there were no signs of shared living, and Ning Chunyan couldn't find any compelling evidence.

Wang Zixu went to his room and searched through his trunk. Finally, he pulled out a wrinkled suit from the bottom of the trunk and held it up for Ning Chunyan to see:

"This is the one."

After Ning Chunyan finished looking at it, she immediately shook her head and said, "This won't do. This is too student-style. You'll be laughed at if you wear it to that kind of occasion."

Wang Zixu put down his clothes: "People in that kind of situation can be so superficial and mean?"

People are shallow and mean-spirited. Even if they don't laugh at you to your face, they'll laugh at you in their hearts.

Prince Xu threw his clothes onto the bed: "Hell is other people, and to gaze upon them is to be enslaved."

Ning Chunyan abruptly opened his wardrobe: "Now is not the time to worry about enslavement. Of course you care about other people's opinions when you have no money and no status. But once you become the chief editor of a top magazine in the industry, no one will care if you wear shorts. Not caring about other people's opinions is a privilege only those in power possess. Do you have a white shirt? A tie?"

Ning Chunyan effortlessly punctured Sartre's petty-bourgeois viewpoint with a single sentence, leaving Wang Zixu somewhat unconvinced yet forced to admit it. Ning Chunyan's philosophy of life was one of tactful self-sufficiency and down-to-earth pragmatism. He helped her rummage through the wardrobe.

Ning Chunyan said, "I suddenly feel like this is somewhat similar to..."

"Like what?"

"It's nothing."

"Click, creak." The door outside the room creaked.

Wang Zixu was still thinking that the room was great in every way, except that the security door was a cheap one installed by the developer, which made a loud noise every time it was opened or closed, which was really annoying. Then he realized that Ye Lan had returned.

He hurried outside, where Ye Lan was squatting at the door changing her shoes. Upon seeing Wang Zixu, she immediately said:

"You're home? How did the seminar this morning go?"

Wang Zixu rubbed his hands together on the hem of his clothes: "It's alright. I have an event tonight, I'll change when I get back."

"Why all this formality? Are you meeting someone important?"

I guess so.

Wang Zixu couldn't wipe the sweat from his palms. He wanted Ning Chunyan to come out and greet Ye Lan, as he felt it would be awkward for him to do so himself. But Ning Chunyan remained silent inside, seemingly determined, and didn't come out.

"Do you have any formal attire? Would you like me to help you put together an outfit?" Ye Lan walked over.

"No, no..."

Ye Lan chuckled mischievously, "With your straight-man taste, how could you possibly put together a decent outfit? That trench coat you wore last time was alright, but for formal wear, you probably only wear those kinds of suits that recent graduates wear, right?"

When Wang Zixu heard "that trench coat," he broke out in a cold sweat. "That trench coat" was the Little Prince's trench coat. If Ye Lan had said the words "Little Prince," everything would have been over. Fortunately, she didn't.

He simply and frankly said, "Ning Chunyan is here; she's helping me put on my clothes."

"Ningchun Banquet?"

Ye Lan's face immediately changed color. She walked to the door and saw Ning Chunyan standing inside, holding a shirt in his hand. He gave her an awkward greeting:

"Hi."

"What are you doing...?"

"He and I are both going to a banquet tonight as representatives of our magazine," Ning Chunyan said quickly.

"I see." Ye Lan relaxed a little.

"Of course, otherwise why would I help him choose clothes? I'm not anyone to him."

"That's true. A loser like him should just stay loser; who's he trying to impress by dressing so nicely?"

"Yes, as long as they can work, that's fine."

"Hahaha……"

"Hehehe..."

The two women laughed easily, reaching a reconciliation. Only Prince Xu felt inexplicably humiliated.

After laughing, Ning Chunyan lowered her hands dejectedly and said, "The key problem is that he's too pathetic. He doesn't have a single decent piece of clothing in his wardrobe that he'd wear out in public."

Ye Lan said, "That's how male students in science and engineering are, they're really straightforward. The programmers in our company are the same way, they wear the same clothes all the time, a T-shirt in summer and a windbreaker in winter, they never look energetic."

Ning Chunyan said, "Then we'll have to buy it now."

Ye Lan said, "Okay, okay, I'll go buy them for you. I know a place that sells ready-made suits."

Ning Chunyan said, "No need, right? Aren't you working this afternoon?"

"Oh, it's okay, I'm not busy with work."

So the situation turned into Ning Chunyan and Ye Lan taking Wang Zixu shopping for clothes.

Ye Lan wasn't lying; she really did know the store that sold ready-made suits. It was located on the first floor of Galaxy City at the intersection of Xuanhe Road. By going through a narrow alley, you could reach Donghai's largest distribution center for counterfeit goods. Standing on the second floor of the warehouse, you could also see Nanjing University and East China University of Science and Technology in the distance.

Although most of the goods here are counterfeit, there is also a flea market. Because it is close to two university campuses, many students come here to shop for cheap prices. The goods are a mixed bag and you can find everything you need.

In such a place, Prince Xu, flanked by two beautiful women, stood out conspicuously. As he walked along, he noticed several people secretly turning around to look at him.

Upon arriving at the store, the two girls handled everything from choosing clothes to negotiating prices. Ning Chunyan had unique taste and her outfits were well-matched, while Ye Lan was sharp-tongued and had an imposing presence. Together, they created a synergy greater than the sum of its parts, leaving Wang Zixu unable to get a word in edgewise and forced to stand aside as a model.

After discussing it for a while, the two women stuffed four or five outfits—from coats and trousers to ties, shirts, belts, and vests—into his arms and told him to try them on.

Suits emphasize fit, binding muscles like armor to make the back, waist, and chest appear straight and upright. As a result, the usually carefree Prince Xu felt extremely uncomfortable after putting on the suit.

But as he stepped out of the fitting room, he could clearly see that Ning Chunyan and Ye Lan's eyes were shining like stars. They stared at him up and down for a long time, making him feel a little uneasy.

"Can you say something?"

"Not bad, very good." Ye Lan spoke first, nodding repeatedly. "Looks all presentable."

Ning Chunyan dusted off his collar: "That's the right way to do it. You're qualified to take him out to meet important people today. You won't be outshone by anyone."

Ye Lan asked, "What important person are you meeting?"

Ning Chunyan didn't answer, but pointed at Wang Zixu and said, "From now on, you can only wear this outfit when you come to work at the magazine."

Prince Xu said, "Spare me."

Ye Lan rolled her eyes; she also wanted to establish such a rule.

Unfortunately, she can't control him anymore.

Wang Zixu turned around and looked in the mirror. With his height of over 1.8 meters and good physique from long-term training, he looked quite different in a suit. In addition, after going outside and looking in the sunlight, he had shaken off the slump that couldn't be described in novels and looked as if he had become five or six years younger.

The clothing store owner came over, her face full of motherly affection, and helped Wang Zixu straighten his tie, saying:

"He looks so handsome! This outfit really suits him. He's so tall, it fits him perfectly. Who is he...?"

Ning Chunyan said, "Friend."

"Boy friend?"

Ning Chunyan said with a dark face, "He's not my boyfriend, he's just a friend."

The proprietress, with great tact, said, "Your friend looks so handsome in this; he'll definitely be very popular."

Ye Lan said, "Boss lady, could you give me a discount?"

The proprietress immediately looked embarrassed: "Oh dear, we sell everything at cost price, we don't make much profit."

Next came the test of eloquence and emotional intelligence. Ye Lan and Ning Chunyan bargained for a while, and in the end, Wang Zixu paid for the whole set for 2800, which was much cheaper than he had imagined.

As Wang Zixu walked out of the store, he was still wearing the same outfit, only the price tag had been cut off. Ning Chunyan told him he didn't need to change, since he couldn't wash it today anyway.

The car was parked in the underground garage of Galaxy City, which meant walking through the first floor of Galaxy City. When Ning Chunyan reached the escalator, she suddenly stopped.

Not far away, a girl with a more flamboyant style of dress than Wang Zixu walked over from the opposite side. Seeing Ning Chunyan, she reached out and greeted her with a formulaic smile:

"Congratulations, Sister Xiaochun!"

Ning Chunyan waved her hand awkwardly, "Xiao Mengyin, what are you doing here?"

This question caused a blush to inexplicably rise to Xiao Mengyin's cheeks, but it quickly disappeared. She avoided the question and said:

"Congratulations on the great success of your magazine's first issue! I'm so envious that you got to attend Professor Shi Tonghe's dinner party; I never even had the chance to go."

Ning Chunyan tensed up: "Who told you I was going to Shi Tonghe's dinner party?"

Xiao Mengyin smiled and said, "Of course, he's my little brother."

"Shi Shuqiu?"

Ning Chunyan understood and said, "Your little brother really tells you everything."

Xiao Mengyin said, "My little brother praised you a lot, saying you're so beautiful that you can bewitch everyone with just a little makeup."

Ning Chunyan didn't believe it: "You didn't make that up, did you? He never said that to my face, so why would he praise someone behind my back?"

Xiao Mengyin said, "It's true, he really said that, I'm so jealous."

After speaking, she turned her head and saw Wang Zixu and Ye Lan. Wang Zixu was tall, and she had to crane her neck quite a bit to see his face clearly before asking, "Is this your boyfriend?"

Ning Chunyan's face darkened again: "This is my magazine's editor-in-chief, have you forgotten?"

Xiao Mengyin nodded: "Oh, no wonder you look so familiar."

Prince thought to himself that the reason she looked familiar was because they had played Guandan together and he had even won. But he figured she must have forgotten, so he didn't bother to bring it up.

He knew that mentioning it would definitely help him build a relationship with her and leave an impression, but he was too lazy to do so.

"If you have the chance, could you please get me Mr. Shi Tonghe's autograph? Goodbye."

At this moment, on the second floor of Galaxy City, a group of students from Nanjing University walked down the gangway.

Lu Qingxuan, with her sharp eyes, turned her head and immediately leaned close to the railing, calling out softly:

"Editor-in-Chief Ning!"

A boy next to him came over to protect her: "Be careful, you might fall."

"How could he fall down when there's a railing?"

"Does anyone know if the railings are sturdy?"

Several girls nearby started egging him on: "Xiao Chunan, you're so protective of this girl!"

The boy blushed and began to argue. These words did not reach Lu Qingxuan's ears. She was wondering whether to greet Ning Chunyan when she suddenly caught sight of Wang Zixu beside her.

"Is that Prince Xu? Why is he dressed like that?"

Next, she watched as one man and two women went down to the basement, her brows furrowed.

"What are they doing?"

Wang Zixu wasn't nervous at first, but after Xiao Mengyin's words, he suddenly started to get nervous.

He then realized that he was about to have dinner with a literary giant.

A year ago, he would never have imagined that in just one year, he would go from being penniless to sitting at Shi Tonghe's table. Even six months ago, he couldn't have imagined it.

He recalled the hexagram Qian hexagram he had drawn back then.

The second line of the Qian hexagram reads: "A dragon appears in the field; it is advantageous to see a great man."

(End of this chapter)