I am not a literary giant

Chapter 174 The Submarine at Night

From the time I finished the written exam to the release of the latest issue of "Get," the days between these two events were unusually calm, like the eye of a storm.

Apart from Ning Chunyan, Wang Zixu did not tell anyone that his manuscript had been accepted by "Get". Some friends who knew he was going to submit to "Get" called to inquire about him, and after hearing his story, they all expressed their regret without reservation.

"I've already submitted to 'Mountain Journey.' You should too. Why don't you stop competing and submit to a smaller magazine and see if you can get shortlisted?" Zhao Peilin said to him.

Wang Zixu asked, "What kind of magazine is 'Mountain Journey'?"

"It's a very small magazine; you wouldn't even know it if I told you."

Lin Feng smiled and comforted him, saying that his teacher, Li Tingfang, had commented on his new work and thought it had a good chance of winning the National Reportage Award. She added that if he succeeded, she would definitely help him.

"Teacher Li Tingfang cares about you a lot. She has asked me many times what's going on since you haven't published any new works in half a year," Lin Feng said. "You should publish your new work soon, even if it's just in a small magazine. You are the vice chairman of the Xihe Writers Association, after all. If you don't publish any new works for a long time, people will start to complain."

Wang Zixu gave a wry smile. Zhao Peilin and Lin Feng, who were from completely different parts of the country, had given the same advice. Although their advice was well-intentioned, Wang Zixu could not accept it and could only respond with a sigh.

However, the attitudes of others were far from friendly, especially after Shi Shuqiu "inadvertently" disclosed the list of seminar participants.

One day, Wang Zixu was eating at the "Restaurant at the End of the Universe." Ning Chunyan and Lu Qingxuan were not there that day, and he was eating alone. While scrolling through his phone, he looked up and his eyes met those of Xu Rongrong at the table across from him.

He nodded, then continued eating. He had seen Xu Rongrong once or twice before at the restaurant, and each time he had simply nodded as a greeting. This time, however, Xu Rongrong sat down across from him with her own tray.

"Have you been browsing forums lately?" she asked.

Wang Zixu shook his head: "I've been avoiding online information lately."

"It's a wise choice," Xu Rongrong said. "You'd better not watch it; they described you in a very... very extreme way."

Wang Zixu lowered his head and ate. Shi Shuqiu had been busy with publicity and building momentum lately, and the best way to unite his small group was to create a common enemy. Wang Zixu naturally became that choice.

To Wang Zixu, this was child's play; to them, Wang Zixu was a ridiculously weak enemy. Neither side was satisfied, but comparatively, Wang Zixu should have avoided the situation. Therefore, he didn't read the forum.

"Are you really planning to attend the seminar?"

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing, I just think you're pretty tough."

"What kind of description is this?"

Xu Rongrong smiled, concealing the embarrassment in her eyes.

"You went to the seminar, not really to ride the wave of popularity, as they're saying, right?"

Xu Rongrong is a very interesting person. Just now she said that it was better for Wang Zixu not to look at the forum, and then she told him what other people on the forum were saying.

Wang Zixu was somewhat shocked: "It's just attending a seminar, what's so special about that?"

Xu Rongrong said, "It is said that all the big names going this time are big shots, and even Yanzishan is preparing to participate."

Prince Zixu asked, "Will Shi Tonghe participate?"

"He wouldn't be that blatant. With Yanzishan participating, the symposium is already of a very high standard."

Xu Rongrong added, "Did you know? Yanzishan and Shi Tonghe are both from the Northwest, they're from the same hometown. Shi Tonghe has promoted Yanzishan quite a bit, so Yanzishan will definitely support Shi Shuqiu wholeheartedly."

Judging from Xu Rongrong's tone, it seemed everyone already knew that Shi Tonghe was Shi Shuqiu's father. But what was their attitude towards this matter? He didn't seem to have heard anyone condemning the idea of ​​"sons inheriting their fathers' businesses." So he felt a little strange.

Wang Zixu asked, "Do any of the students in the college have any objections to the fact that Shi Shuqiu is Shi Tonghe's son?"

"Any objections?"

Wang Zixu stared at her silently. Xu Rongrong understood his meaning and said with a hint of sarcasm, "Your father is your father. Will others have any objections if they find out?"

After Xu Rongrong left, Wang Zi humbly thought that he didn't know if others had any objections, but his mother definitely did. During the period when his mother and father were arguing the most, she would often pinch him for no reason. If she could choose, she probably wouldn't want him to be his father's son.

The misunderstandings others had about Wang Zixu were tolerable; as Confucius said, "One should not be resentful when others do not understand him." Wang Zixu could simply ignore those who "did not understand him." Only Chen Qingluo's gaze was unbearable.

He went to work as usual that day, but Chen Qingluo also came to the magazine office, which was unusual. The moment she saw him, she walked straight towards him, stood in front of his desk, and said:

"How is it?"

Ning Chunyan's dark eyes peered out from the pile of discarded drafts, staring at Wang Zixu with a warning look.

The prince feigned ignorance: "What? How?"

"Submit your work." Chen Qingluo's tone was a little hurried, as if she thought he was stupid.

Prince Xu shook his head.

Chen Qingluo asked, "What does shaking your head mean?"

The prince remained silent, feeling uneasy.

Chen Qingluo reached out and slammed her hand on his desk: "What does shaking your head mean? Tell me!"

Her tone was as urgent as a patient's family member's, as if it wasn't Wang Zixu shaking his head, but a doctor walking out of the emergency room.

Prince Xu cast a pleading look at Ning Chunyan, but Ning Chunyan irresponsibly withdrew his gaze. Chen Qingluo glanced at the two of them, then returned to her seat with an icy expression.

Chen Qingluo's hands were fair, and although her fingernails weren't painted, they were still quite glossy. Even after her hands had been gone for a while, a faint, lingering fragrance seemed to remain on the table.

That day, Chen Qingluo didn't speak to Wang Zixu again. Although she hadn't spoken to him before, it was only because she didn't want to talk; this time, she didn't speak to him because she didn't want to talk to him at all. She seemed very unhappy, and no one dared to disturb her. Before it was time to leave work, she said goodbye and left.

Wang Zixu was like a submarine sailing in the depths of a black ocean, entering a silent mode, enduring all loneliness, with only himself knowing his mission. This mission could not even be told to Chen Qingluo; he could only bear it alone.

Another minor incident occurred when the magazine began recruiting, and Wang Zixu helped with the interviews. To his surprise, an acquaintance also applied for the editor position—it was Lin Luo.

Since his crushing defeat at the last Xihe Literary Gathering, Lin Luo seemed to have been completely abandoned by Shen Qingfeng, and later he voluntarily withdrew from the Xihe Literary Association. Lin Feng said that he seemed to have disappeared from Xihe. Only when Wang Zixu met him and asked did he learn that he had moved to Donghai to develop his career.

After the interview, Lin Luo pulled Wang Zixu aside and asked in a low voice, "I heard you're planning to submit your new work to 'Get' magazine?"

Prince Xu asked, "How come even you know?"

Lin Luo chuckled and patted him on the shoulder, saying, "You're the top writer in our Xihe Literary Society! We should pay close attention to your every move so we can keep up with the latest trends in the literary world."

Wang Zixu was speechless; this man's flattery was as good as a snail's horn. If Lin Feng hadn't overheard the two plotting against Wang Zixu outside Qingfeng Residence that day, knowing Lin Luo was a treacherous villain, he would have almost been fooled by him.

"I sent it. But I haven't heard back."

Lin Luo asked in surprise, "How long has it been since you sent it? Still no response?"

"It's been a month."

Lin Luo asked tentatively, "Then I'm afraid there's no chance, right? I heard that 'Obtain' doesn't return manuscripts."

"Yes, it seems there's no chance." Prince Xu nodded.

Lin Luo finally showed a genuine smile of relief: "I see, that's a bit of a pity. But your level is indeed not high enough. After all, that's 'Gain,' and you'll need to train for a few more years before you'll have a chance to reach it."

Wang Zixu nodded, "Yes." After Lin Luo left, Wang Zixu asked Ning Chunyan if she wanted to admit him. Ning Chunyan stared at him in surprise, "Admit him? I remember he didn't like you, did he?"

Wang Zixu said that although he didn't like this person, his skills were quite good, and he was willing to be the editor, which could help them a lot.

Ning Chunyan waved her hand dismissively: "Forget it, we prioritize virtue when hiring. Besides, I get annoyed just looking at him, so don't force me."

Instead of trying to dissuade her, Wang Zixu said that it was quite nice to have a leader who acted according to his own whims and whose whims were exactly the same as his own.

The day before the seminar arrived, a sunny and mild Sunday. Wang Zixu, his heart still racing, tucked a book under his arm and headed to the magazine office.

As he walked, he was still thinking about how he had unexpectedly run into Chen Qingluo in the office on a similar day off. Sure enough, when he pushed open the door, he saw Chen Qingluo.

She wore a white suit dress, her hair falling to her cheeks, and in the sunlight slanting through the glass, she possessed a breathtaking beauty.

Prince stood frozen at the door for a while before finally getting up and walking back to his seat. Because Chen Qingluo hadn't spoken to him for the past few days, he was unsure whether to speak to her first.

Unexpectedly, Chen Qingluo spoke up first: "Forget it, life is full of disappointments, the most important thing is to keep a calm mind."

The prince asked evasively, "Are you talking to me?"

"Is there anyone else here besides you?" Chen Qingluo said irritably.

Wang Zixu sat down in his seat with his book, his guilt growing stronger. Chen Qingluo muttered, "Idiot."

Wang Zixu suddenly looked at her, and Chen Qingluo was flustered by his gaze. He said, "I have something to tell you tomorrow."

Chen Qingluo's face inexplicably flushed: "What is it?"

"It's a pleasant surprise overall."

"Then don't tell me."

The prince asked tentatively, "Why?"

He planned to tell Chen Qingluo tomorrow that he had been featured in "Get" magazine, as a surprise, right? But Chen Qingluo's answer left him puzzled.

"Tell me when you win the Fiesta Literary Prize."

Wang Zixu thought it might be his imagination: she seemed a little angry.

"It would be too late to tell you after I receive the Fiesta Literary Prize," he said.

She looked up at him: "So, you're still confident you can win that award?"

"Yes, there is, but my main point is that it's too late then."

For some reason, he sensed that she had become happy again.

"What book?" she asked.

Wang Zixu held up the book in his hand, showing her the cover: "Kawabata Yasunari's 'Thousand Cranes.' To be precise, it also includes 'The Thousand Birds of the Waves.'"

Chen Qingluo looked surprised: "No way, you haven't even seen this?"

Here we go again, the Luo-style questioning.

Wang Zixu blushed slightly: "I think I've read it—I don't know if you've ever had this experience, but you clearly remember reading a book, but you have no memory of the content of that book at all."

Chen Qingluo said blankly, "No."

"That's just how I am." Wang Zixu turned a page. "The content of this book is particularly surprising to me. If I had read it, I would definitely remember it, but I really don't."

Chen Qingluo said, "After all, there are a lot of stories about infidelity, incest, and lust."

"Hmm. I clearly remember reading it. Look, there's dust in the seams. This book has been sitting in my house for ages, but I have absolutely no recollection of the content..."

Chen Qingluo said, "Buying a book is like considering it read. That kind of thing does happen."

The prince wanted to refute her, but stopped himself, because he saw that a line in the book had been crossed out.

That was a sentence about the change in mindset after her husband cheated on her. Wang Zixu was certain that he had absolutely no memory of underlining that sentence. Given his personality, it was impossible for him to have seen that sentence and marked it, let alone have marked it and then had no recollection of it.

The book is kept at home, and if you want to explain it, only someone other than myself could have accessed it.

She is my wife.

Prince Xu frowned.

In his memory, she was definitely not the kind of woman who would read Kawabata Yasunari's books and meticulously underline them.

Moreover, why did she underline that sentence?

Did she already have a plan back then?

"Does suffering leave no trace once it's over?"

"Sometimes, you even miss it once it's over."

Those were the two sentences his wife had drawn underlined.

What kind of torment was his wife longing for? Were these two lines just a casual sketch, or do they contain some hidden meaning? The prince had no way of knowing.

Because the conversation abruptly ended, Wang Zixu couldn't continue talking to Chen Qingluo. After that, he frantically flipped through the pages, trying to get her attention and get her to say something more. Unfortunately, she didn't speak to him again until she left.

……

The symposium on Shi Shuqiu's works has gradually become an increasingly important event for the entire School of Literature at Nanjing University.

The School of Literature was not a monolithic entity; not everyone was on Shi Shuqiu's side.

Some proud students couldn't help but feel that Shi Shuqiu was a bit too high-profile and were quite disdainful of the so-called seminar. However, as information about the seminar was gradually revealed, these voices disappeared before they could even make a ripple.

The people attending the seminar were all incredibly accomplished, and even the students from the Faculty of Arts, who previously looked down on Shi Shuqiu's works, couldn't help but lose confidence when they heard that their idol was also coming to praise Shi Shuqiu.

In contrast, the students who supported Shi Shuqiu became increasingly arrogant. They planned to form a literary society and organized many activities to support Shi Shuqiu. They wore white shirts in unison, rode bicycles together on campus, or recited poetry at the school gate, making quite a show of it.

The seminar was to be held in the auditorium in the afternoon. At 8 a.m., Wang Zixu got up early and went to the newsstand to ask repeatedly if the magazine "Get" had arrived. At 10 a.m., he finally bought a copy.

The title "Fire in the Stone" is prominently displayed at the very top of the table of contents.

He carried the magazine and rushed to the school library. On the literary section of the current issue, "Get" was placed in a very prominent position.

After reading it, he finally felt a little relieved, but in comparison, his social media was very quiet. Apart from Pu Yuyang sending him a message to remind him that the magazine was on sale, no one else noticed that his work had been published in "Get".

This makes sense: after all, "Get" is a print media, and its dissemination is not as immediate as that of the internet. It won't cause a sensation as soon as it's published in a magazine.

But he also knew that this did not mean there would be no turbulence. At the bottom of the black sea, even more turbulent waves were brewing, steadily gathering potential energy.

(End of this chapter)