Reborn in 2006, I met Mr. Zhou from the past.

On Monday, all four periods in the morning were self-study sessions. With the high school entrance exam approaching, Su Fengnan devoted all her time to practicing questions.

At noon, she was typing away at the internet cafe as usual. However, a fierce storm was raging outside. She thought she was going to be trapped, but the moment she stepped out of the internet cafe, a magnificent rainbow stretched across the sky, and the air was washed clean, fresh and pleasant, making her feel refreshed and relaxed.

The rainbow after the rain seemed to be silently telling her that her life would be the same, that after the storm, there would be splendor.

Sure enough, good luck followed.

As soon as she opened the website's backend, a notification popped up saying "Application approved." Su Fengnan's heart skipped a beat, and she clicked on it with delight—she hadn't expected to succeed on her first try!

Now that her friend request had been approved, she knew someone should contact her. She immediately logged into her QQ account, and sure enough, a new, unfamiliar profile picture had appeared in her friend request list.

At that moment, her fingers trembled slightly. She took a deep breath and clicked "Pass".

The other party replied almost instantly: "Hello, is this 'Heart Source'?"

Su Fengnan composed herself and replied, "Hello."

On the other end of the computer, Song, the website's editor, immediately retrieved "Xinyuan's" author information the moment she saw the application. After copying and adding the other party's QQ number, she stayed in front of the computer, not even bothering to eat lunch. Seeing "Xinyuan's" reply, she was so excited that she couldn't wait to finalize the collaboration.

"I have high hopes for the book 'Coming Home'. If you'd like to sign up on our website, I'll do everything I can to make things easier for you."

"Thank you, Editor Song. If it's convenient, could you send me the contract to take a look?"

"No problem, it's already been sent to your email."

"Okay, I'll take a look and get back to you later."

Editor Song, sitting in front of the computer, initially thought the author was polite, cautious, and a composed person. However, the fact that the other party was willing to consider their website already showed the author had good judgment, didn't it?

She has high hopes for "Heart Source." She has followed every chapter since its serialization began. This reborn female protagonist novel has a novel concept and great market potential. The novel's depiction of the awakening of women in the new era and its courage to break with old conventions are enough to influence the growth of a generation.

Editor Song, herself a woman in her twenties, deeply understands the hardships women face working outside the home. Therefore, she inevitably empathizes with the world depicted in "Xin Yuan's" writing. She feels a duty to speak up for women and wants to support authors like her.

If "Heart Source" can truly become a dark horse, she must make a good effort to develop it.

As I was pondering this, "Xinyuan's" reply popped up on the screen.

"I've reviewed the contract, and it's fine."

"You can make any other requests now. Once the contract is signed, you won't have the chance." Editor Song, who had been sitting in front of the computer, was in a good mood, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously turned up. She replied quickly.

"I've read all the important terms. The copyright belongs to the author, and the revenue sharing ratio is fine. That's why I chose your platform."

"You have a good eye. Our Jinghai Original Content Platform can provide authors with ample creative space."

"Although updating is relatively free, I hope that the authors I value will cherish their reputation and not be fleeting shooting stars, but rather enduring and shining stars." Editor Song added a smiling emoji.

The editor's words stemmed from her genuine appreciation and respect for "Xin Yuan." She truly admired the female protagonist in "Xin Yuan's" works who embodied the spirit of a modern woman, and she herself benefited greatly from following the story.

Seeing the editor's high regard for her, Su Fengnan, on her computer, was somewhat flattered. But she also knew that an author's reputation required careful cultivation, something she would naturally do well. Cherishing one's image was the key to long-term success.

"Okay, I'll try my best."

After a pause, Su Fengnan finally asked the question that had been on her mind.

"Is payment for royalties only settled after the work is completed?"

"Yes."

Editor Song didn't explain much, as it was all clearly stated in the contract. Besides, even after the story ends, as long as subscriptions continue to grow, the author will still receive royalties. Of course, if the work becomes a hit or gets published, the earnings will be even greater; the author will receive every penny due.

"Understood."

"From now on, I'll be in charge of your work. I'm your editor, Song Jiaqi. Feel free to contact me if you need anything, and I'll do my best to make things easier for you."

"OK."

"However, I don't have much free time. As you've probably noticed, I usually only update around noon. So I don't like being bothered by trivial matters. Please help me with anything unrelated to writing if you can, and we can discuss it further if you can't handle it yourself."

Editor Song sent an "OK" gesture.

These are all minor matters, hardly worth mentioning to an editor.

"During our collaboration, I hope that trust will be the foundation for building a good relationship. What do you think, Editor Song?"

"Once you've chosen us, you'll see that I'm trustworthy after working with you for a while."

Su Fengnan sent a handshake emoji.

"Editor Song, I hope we can work together smoothly."

"It's a pleasure working with you."

"Please leave a message if you need anything. I don't have much time, I'm going to go write now."

Song Jiaqi sent a waving emoji and was delighted to see the other party was "offline." She admired authors who were self-disciplined and efficient. It seemed that "Xinyuan" would manage its reputation well without her much effort.

On the other end of the computer, Su Fengnan was so excited about the smooth progress of the contract signing that she first laughed out loud, then covered her mouth with her hand and burst into tears.

She was happy that her work was appreciated and would soon be seen by more people; she cried because she had used the experiences of two lifetimes to earn this opportunity to publish her novel. Was she fortunate? Was she aggrieved? It seemed she was both.

But now that she's been given a second chance at life, she has all the time in the world to fight for her future.

She hopes that in this era of explosive growth in online literature, she can stay true to her original aspiration and continue to be a disseminator that benefits readers.

After leaving the internet cafe and admiring the rainbow in the sky for a moment, Su Fengnan quickly printed out the contract, signed it, and rushed to the post office to mail it. Fortunately, the post office wasn't far from the school, otherwise she really wouldn't have had enough time.

As they approached the school and were crossing a traffic light, Ye Hua appeared beside her without her noticing. He walked closely behind her for a while, but Su Fengnan didn't notice. Helpless, Ye Hua could only gently pat her shoulder.

Su Fengnan, who was deep in thought about how to allocate her time, was suddenly patted on the back. She snapped back to her senses, her heart skipped a beat, and she almost jumped out of her skin.

Su Fengnan turned around and saw that it was an acquaintance, and a faint smile appeared on her lips: "Ye Hua".

"What are you thinking about? I didn't even notice you standing right next to me." Ye Hua raised an eyebrow and reminded him, "Be careful when you walk."

"Ah... okay, thank you."

"Sorry, did I scare you?" Ye Hua's gaze followed Su Fengnan.