I am not a literary giant

Chapter 173 Insulted and Hurt

Ning Chunyan took off her clothes, lay down in the soft vacuum cotton quilt, turned on the bedside night light, and planned to scroll through her phone for a few last minutes before falling asleep.

Half an hour later, the phone screen suddenly went black, revealing Ning Chunyan's silly grin, and the screen showed a call from Wang Zixu.

She was quite surprised.

"Feed?"

"I have something to tell you."

The voice on the other end of the phone was rambling and incoherent. Ning Chunyan propped herself up on the bed, sitting up straight, the mattress creaking.

"What is it?"

"Is there anyone next to you?"

"Who would be here in the middle of the night?"

On the phone, Wang Zi swallowed hard: "It's logged in."

"Really?!" Ning Chunyan exclaimed excitedly, her mattress springs creaking.

"It's confirmed."

"Published" doesn't mean anything else; it simply means the manuscript was published. And the publication venue, of course, is *The Gain*. Both men understood perfectly well and needed no further explanation. The single phrase "published" was enough to send Ning Chunyan into a frenzy.

"That's 'Get'! You actually published it! It's unbelievable!" Ning Chunyan screamed, suppressing her voice, like a little girl seeing her idol.

Actually, she had somewhat anticipated the news when he called, but learning that she had been featured in "The Winner" magazine still made her incredibly excited. Ning Chunyan pressed her fingers to her temples, telling herself to calm down.

"I feel like I'm dreaming," Wang Zixu said. "Yesterday I met with the editors of 'Get' magazine and talked a lot with their chief editor, Li Minyang."

"No way, Editor-in-Chief Li came to see you in person?!" Ning Chunyan was even more surprised. "Such high-level treatment!"

After a pause, Ning Chunyan asked again, "Is it published in its entirety? All 60 words?"

"Yes, it is expected to be released in three phases, with each phase containing 20 words."

Wow!

Ning Chunyan blurted out a very corny catchphrase, but she couldn't care less about that now, her throat tightening with suppressed anger: "20 words in one installment, this is defying the heavens!"

"I was also very surprised. And they said that the front page of the second issue was for me, while the front page of the first issue was for Gu Zao, and mine was put as the last article. However, the table of contents header says my name."

Magazine tables of contents are not necessarily arranged in page order; generally, the most important works are placed at the top. "Fire in Stone" enjoys this treatment.

Upon hearing this, Ning Chunyan was already stunned, muttering incessantly incoherently, praising endlessly.

Wang Zixu originally wanted to talk about the seminar, but considering that it was still far from being finalized and that she was already dizzy, he didn't share it with her.

Ning Chunyan said, "Wang Zixu, once the next issue of 'The Winner' is published, you really have a chance to compete for the Fei Shi Literary Award, even if your opponent is Shi Tonghe's son!"

After listening, Prince Xu nodded slightly, expressionless, and said, "Mm."

Ning Chunyan clenched her fists and desperately punched the air.

Winning the top prize of the Fei Shi Literary Award is certainly a great honor, but being featured in "The Best" magazine is also an honor.

To date, Xiao Mengyin has not been able to publish a single article in "Get".

Having 60 words published in full in "Get" is enough to solidify one's position in the literary world, like a wedge firmly planted in the soil of Chinese culture. Years later, people may forget the first prize of the Fei Shi Literary Award, but they will certainly remember this work.

What if the top prize isn't awarded to him? Not awarding it to him would be a sign of blindness. Shi Tonghe can influence many judges with his prestige and connections, but sooner or later people will find out that Shi Shuqiu is his son. If the judges have any sense of shame, they will reconsider the selection of the top prize.

Therefore, as long as Prince Xu can appear in "The Gain", the battle that Xiao Mengyin predicted was doomed to be lost has already become uncertain.

Thinking of this, Ning Chunyan shuddered and frowned.

"Prince Xu, I suddenly think that you'd better not tell anyone about this."

"I didn't intend to tell anyone anyway," Wang Zixu said.

"You shouldn't have told us at all," Ning Chunyan said. "You told Lu Qingxuan and the others the day before yesterday, and we even had a private celebration dinner. Although I told them not to let it out, there's no guarantee they wouldn't let it slip."

Prince thought about it for a moment and realized he couldn't be blamed for his loose tongue. He had been feeling extremely dizzy and depressed that day, and if he didn't let it out, he really would have collapsed.

Ning Chunyan asked, "Besides calling me, you didn't tell anyone else, did you?"

"No, you were the first person I called."

"Okay, it's fine. Just don't tell anyone that you've passed the manuscript," Ning Chunyan said. "Don't tell anyone. Keep it to yourself, don't say a word, not even if you kill me."

"Hmm." Wang Zixu nodded on the other end of the phone, then after a while added, "Not even Chen Qing... Editor-in-Chief Chen?"

"I won't tell anyone," Ning Chunyan said. "I'm telling you, Wang Zixu, before your manuscript is printed in 'Get,' bound into a book, officially published, and seen by the people of the whole country, don't tell anyone about this."

"Yes," Prince Xu replied firmly.

A decision that has been made can be reversed, and printed documents can be recalled and destroyed. Having learned their lesson, both of them were still wary.

After hanging up the phone, he sat on the cot in his workroom without turning on the light. The bright moon, as if understanding the taste of loneliness, gently drifted in through the window and pressed its light against his chest.

He fiddled with his phone, the screen showing Chen Qingluo's contacts. The call history was blank, meaning they hadn't spoken since he added the number.

Ning Chunyan said not to tell anyone this news—and he thought so too, but after tossing and turning all night, unable to sleep, he finally couldn't hold it in any longer. He wanted to tell Chen Qingluo the news, but he didn't dare.

As a second-best option, he dialed Ning Chunyan's number, intending to set an example before telling Chen Qingluo, but Ning Chunyan's words, "Don't tell anyone," stopped him.

It wasn't that he didn't trust Chen Qingluo. If he became a fugitive from all over the world and could only find one person, he would go to Chen Qingluo, even if it meant dying at her hands. It's just that he still didn't dare tell her. He found himself unable to share his happiness with her like a normal friend.

Ning Chunyan's words gave him an excuse to back down, so he simply withdrew. He threw down his phone and went to bed.

……

After finishing the written exam and having published the manuscript, life suddenly became much easier. Wang Zixu felt like he was being released from prison—although he had never been to jail, he must have felt something similar—suddenly going from strictly dividing his time into small blocks to having nothing to do, he felt a sudden emptiness and bewilderment.

Wang Zixu returned to work at the magazine.

Halfway through October, the temperature plummeted, and it was no longer the season where long sleeves and a single layer of clothing could last all day. He put on a jacket he used to wear in Xihe, which made him feel hot when he put it on but cold when he took it off.

Upon entering the office, Chen Qingluo was not there as usual. Lu Qingxuan and Diao Yiwen only glanced at him before returning to their work, while Ning Chunyan exchanged a few seconds of eye contact with him. After a while, they called him over, saying they were assigning him manuscript review work.

Using the mountain of manuscripts on the table as cover, Ning Chunyan leaned closer and whispered, "You called me yesterday, right? I'm not dreaming, am I?"

"It's not a dream."

"Remember, don't tell anyone."

"Um."

"I forgot to tell you yesterday," Ning Chunyan said, "Shi Tonghe doesn't take you seriously now, but if he thinks you can threaten his son's top prize, he will deal with you in a much more serious way."

Prince Xu nodded: "I know."

He took the manuscript back to his seat and reviewed it for a while, but his mind was still unsettled. Suddenly, he glanced over and saw that Diao Yiwen kept glancing in his direction. After their eyes met, she simply walked over and sat down next to him.

"How is the situation?"

The prince, feigning ignorance, asked, "What's going on?"

Diao Yiwen asked, "Didn't you say the day before yesterday that there was a good chance?"

"I do have a very good chance of passing the written test," Wang Zixu said. "I've reviewed all the questions."

Diao Yiwen said urgently, "I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about 'The Acquisition'." Lu Qingxuan suddenly stopped what she was doing and turned her ear towards her.

Prince Xu shook his head: "It's hard to say."

"Did it fail?" Diao Yiwen asked.

"We haven't received a reply yet."

Diao Yiwen pouted: "Then why did you say before that there was hope?"

Wang Zixu said, "Can't I even have a little self-confidence?"

Diao Yiwen wondered, "Shouldn't there be some explanation for whether the manuscript was rejected or not?"

Wang Zixu deliberately gave a vague answer: "They'll probably have to continue reviewing the manuscript over there."

Seeing Diao Yiwen's disbelief, Wang Zixu added, "My manuscript is nearly 600,000 words long. It won't be a matter of just one or two days to review it. It might not be until next month. There's no rush."

Diao Yiwen glared at her and asked, "Then what about your essay for Fei Shi?"

"If I can't get it published, I'll just give up. Right now, as long as the article gets published, everything's fine for me."

Diao Yiwen left with a disappointed look, then turned back and said, "I thought you would really stick to your principles and fight tooth and nail to participate in Fei Shi. It seems you're not as pure as I thought."

Lu Qingxuan cleared her throat and said to them, "Sister Yiwen, I have a question I'd like to ask you. Could you come over here for a moment?"

When Diao Yiwen went over, Lu Qingxuan pulled her outside.

"What's wrong?"

Lu Qingxuan whispered, "Why did you provoke him like that?"

"What provoked him? He just lacked motivation. He should have submitted it again after it was rejected by 'Get'. Why use the excuse of needing a review to get by? He lost his courage and will only hurt himself."

Lu Qingxuan asked, "How did you know his paper was rejected by *Get*?"

"It must have been rejected," Diao Yiwen said. "He checked his phone before, and it was obvious that an editor from 'Get' had contacted him. If an editor contacts you, it means either it was approved, it wasn't, or they have suggestions for revisions. How could it still be under review?"

Lu Qingxuan said cautiously, "Actually, even if his manuscript was rejected, I don't think it's a big deal. After all, it's 'Get' magazine. If he can't submit to other magazines, it's because Shi Tonghe forced him to, so we can't blame him for not being good enough."

Diao Yiwen said, "Nobody blames him! He's the one who's always putting on airs. He made too many promises before, and now he's ashamed and keeping quiet about it."

Lu Qingxuan said, "Forget it, let's not talk about him anymore. He must be feeling bad himself right now."

Diao Yiwen snorted coldly and didn't continue speaking. Suddenly, she saw Shi Shuqiu walking towards her in the corridor, looking spirited and beaming.

"Young Master Shi, what brings you here in person?" Diao Yiwen asked immediately.

Shi Shuqiu asked with a faint smile, "Are Editor-in-Chief Chen and Editor-in-Chief Ning here?"

"Editor-in-Chief Ning is inside, but Editor-in-Chief Chen isn't here. Is there something you need?"

Shi Shuqiu's smile remained unchanged: "My recent work, 'Yesterday's Star,' has just been featured on the homepage of the Fei Shi·Sui Han Literature Award. Our institute will be holding a seminar around this work."

Diao Yiwen waved her hand: "I know, I know, it's been all over the courtyard for a while now. Everyone says that Young Master Shi is very talented."

"I came here specifically to invite Mr. Chen and Mr. Ning to participate in the seminar."

Diao Yiwen's eyes flickered, a strange glint in them. Chen and Ning didn't have a good impression of Shi Shuqiu; inviting them to the meeting was tantamount to a direct provocation. Moreover, Wang Zixu was also present.

This is going to be interesting.

Diao Yiwen said, "Editor-in-Chief Ning is inside. Please come in."

Pushing open the door, he led Shi Shuqiu inside. Shi Shuqiu was slightly taken aback when she saw Wang Zixu, then ignored him and slowly walked up to Ning Chunyan, repeating her purpose once more.

Ning Chunyan, adopting a businesslike attitude, took the invitation, glanced at it, and said, "The dean has helped me a lot, and this is a seminar held by my alma mater. It's only right and proper that I attend."

Shi Shuqiu's face lit up with joy: "So you're agreeing?"

"But I'm afraid I can't say anything. Our magazine has been quite busy lately and hasn't had time to look at your work."

Shi Shuqiu thought to himself, "My work is only a few tens of thousands of words long. I could finish reading it in a few tens of minutes if I read it quickly. Ning Chunyan's words are a clear indication that he doesn't like it." But he didn't show it and continued to smile. After all, who would speak at the meeting had already been decided, and it wasn't Ning Chunyan's turn to speak.

"When will Editor-in-Chief Chen arrive? I'll personally deliver the invitation to her."

"No need, just leave it here. I'll talk to her for you later."

"Okay, thank you, Editor-in-Chief Ning."

"fine."

"Then I'll wait for that day to await Editor-in-Chief Ning's critique and corrections of my work."

After saying that, Shi Shuqiu turned and went out. Then, with a slight theatrical turn, she walked towards Wang Zixu.

"This... Brother Wang," Shi Shuqiu said, standing next to Prince Xu.

"Not Brother Chang?" Prince Xu lowered his head and didn't look at him.

"Brother Wang," Shi Shuqiu said, "you seem to be a member of the Xihe Writers Association, right?"

Diao Yiwen, standing nearby, said, "He is the vice chairman."

"Oh, my apologies," Shi Shuqiu said. "How about you come and join our seminar?"

The prince paused for a moment, then looked up at him.

Shi Shuqiu said, "You can sit in the audience. I didn't bring my invitation; I'll send it to you later."

The prince thought for a moment and then said, "Okay."

Shi Shuqiu laughed and nodded, "Alright, then you're welcome to come then."

After Shi Shuqiu left, Diao Yiwen finally couldn't help but run to Wang Zixu's side and say, "Wasn't he going a bit too far? You actually agreed to this?"

"What's wrong?" the prince asked humbly.

"Isn't he humiliating you to your face? Are you really willing to attend his seminar and listen to others praising him?"

"It's alright, it's quite interesting to listen to how they talk about it." Wang Zixu's nonchalant attitude made Diao Yiwen grin from ear to ear.

She turned to Ning Chunyan and said, "Editor-in-chief, what do you think of him?"

Ning Chunyan pretended to be indifferent: "If he wants to go, let him go. It's no big deal."

Diao Yiwen said, "But Wang Zixu's inability to get published is his fault! Haven't you all been putting up with it all this time? If it were me, I definitely couldn't stand it. Qingxuan, don't you think so?"

"Mmm... mmm." Lu Qingxuan nodded.

Taking advantage of their noise, Wang Zixu walked over, grabbed the invitation from Ning Chunyan's table, secretly glanced at the date of the seminar, then quickly closed it and raised his head inscrutably.

Good guy.

Isn't this on the same day as the release and launch of the next issue of "Get"?

(End of this chapter)