Love Apartment: Yifei is my junior aunt

Chapter 79: A Love Story Without Love or Cats - A Three-Legged Cat's Tale

Chapter 79: A Three-Legged Tale of Love Without Romance or Cats

Meijia took the empty bowl from Guangu's hand and served him rice.

"Arigato".

Guan Gu remained frowning, seemingly lost in thought. After thanking Mei Jia, he continued his mechanical, numb eating.

Curry Sauce looked on in surprise: "Is he planning to eat a whole bowl of white rice without eating any other dishes?"

How can there be people in this world who can't even be brought back to their senses by delicious food!

"Guan Gu, you should try this braised pork with preserved mustard greens, it's delicious."

As Guan Gu's personal assistant, Mei Jia couldn't stand seeing Guan Gu like this.

Meijia's act of serving food to Guangu next to her made Ziqiao, who was sitting on her other side, very jealous: "I'm still sick, why haven't I seen you serve me any food?"

While thinking, Ziqiao picked up a piece of green pepper and beef from his own plate and put it into Guangu's bowl.

"Come to Guangu and see how much this beef compares to your Kobe beef."

With Meijia and Ziqiao demonstrating, everyone present started feeding Guangu with their chopsticks.

"Yes, Guangu, try this fish. It's just as good as the fish from Dianshan Lake, and it doesn't have many bones."

"This water spinach is also quite good."

"Let me give you a spoonful of steamed egg custard to try."

……

Guan Gu was still lost in thought, trying to capture a little bit of useful inspiration.

However, he was now not only empty-headed, but also with empty eyes and an empty mind.

The more you try to think, the less useful things you can come up with; and the less useful things you can come up with, the more desperately you try to think.

Guan Gu racked his brains, thinking and thinking. Gradually, he realized something was wrong.

Why does my mouth suddenly feel so sore and my stomach so bloated, and why does it feel like the food in my bowl hasn't decreased at all?

The overwhelming feeling of fullness brought Guan Gu back to his senses, and he looked down.

What?!

"How come there are so many!"

Guan Gu was shocked to see the food piled up in his bowl, almost like a small mountain.

"It's okay, we've all finished eating, you should eat more." The others continued to serve him food as usual.

"Wait a minute, please stop putting food on my plate, I really can't eat anymore."

Guan Gu clutched the bowl in his hand; he didn't want to become the first cartoonist to die from overeating while searching for inspiration.

At that time, Guan Gu will not only be able to realize his wish to become famous in the Japanese manga industry in one step, but he will also be able to leave his mark on history in the entire manga industry.

However, Guan Gu is only twenty-eight years old this year and has never been in a relationship. He doesn't really like making a name for himself in history.

"Are you sure you don't need me to get you any more?"

"No need, I'm already grateful that I can finish what's in my bowl."

Guan Gu looked at the mountain of food in his hand, the kind of food that only appears in comedy comics, and didn't know where to start eating.

I was wondering why my meals didn't taste like rice; it turns out I'd been eating vegetables the whole time.

"All right."

Only then did everyone reluctantly put down their chopsticks, realizing that feeding Guan Gu was much more fun than paying to feed tigers at the zoo.

It's because tigers don't know how to eat.

"Guan Gu, eat slowly, and tell me what's wrong with you while you eat."

"#@&@%%%……"

Guan Gu ate his food in large mouthfuls, his already poor Chinese becoming even more slurred, sounding like gibberish.

Seeing the confused looks on everyone's faces, Guan Gu swallowed his food and explained again.

"Everything was fine until the Tokyo publisher suddenly asked me to draw a short side story of 'Love Triangle Cat' as a bonus for the comic book."

Guan Gu rubbed his temples: "I finally managed to finish this volume of 'Love is a Clumsy Trivia' and all my inspiration and passion have been wiped out."

"Now they're asking me to draw a side story, and they've given me such a short time. I have absolutely no clue or inspiration."

Yifei asked curiously, "This is the first time I've heard of a comic book publishing company giving away a completely new side story as a bonus. Aren't they usually just giving away things like bookmarks, badges, cards, or posters?"

"This decision was made by the former president's son. He said that a brand new side story would attract more readers and boost sales."

"Moreover, printing an extra comic book is cheaper for the publisher than things like badges."

Guan Gu viciously devoured the green pepper and beef in his bowl, looking as if he wanted to eat up all those clients who made decisions on a whim.

Nanfeng, who was also given an additional task by the client at the last minute, felt deep sympathy for Guangu.

Fortunately, voice acting doesn't require inspiration.

"Didn't you say before that the former president values you a lot? Could you ask him to give you more time?" Wanyu offered her suggestion.

Guan Gu shook his head.

"The old president's son didn't like my comics. He felt that 'Love Triangle Cat' didn't have much commercial value and asked me to add some vulgar and pornographic content, which I refused."

"If it weren't for the old president's strong support, 'Love Trivia' might not have even had the chance to be published."

"However, the old president is getting old, and his son is gradually taking over the publishing house's work in full."

"This decision requires all comic book authors, not just me."

"The former president might support me because I refuse to draw vulgar or pornographic content, but he would never make special exceptions for me."

Wan Yu, Zhan Bo, and Curry Sauce, the three young people, only understood half of what they heard, but the others basically understood it.

Simply put, the old president is getting old and is beginning to smoothly hand over his power and position in the publishing house to his son.

His son must establish his own authority while the old president is still in office so that he can become a truly powerful and respected new president.

The old president can correct the new president's mistakes for the sake of Guan Gu's principles, but he cannot undermine the new president's authority that he is building up because of Guan Gu's special circumstances.

If he really does that, then Guan Gu should think about who the old president's son really is.

Zhanbo asked, "Guan Gu-kun, what will happen if you don't draw the side story by the deadline?"

Guan Gu said somewhat dejectedly, "If I don't draw the side story, the publisher will postpone the publication of 'Love Triangle Cat'."

"As for when it will be postponed, that depends on the future president's thoughts."

Curry Sauce didn't quite understand what Guan Gu meant, so she carefully nudged Nan Feng.

"Guan Gu means that if he doesn't draw the new side story in time, given the new president's attitude towards Guan Gu, then 'Love Triangle Cat' can basically be abandoned for publication," Nan Feng explained in a low voice.

"It's not just that." Guan Gu's hand, gripping the chopsticks so tightly it had lost its color, licked his chapped lips. "I've poured all my savings and fortune into the publication of 'Love Triangle Cat.' If 'Love Triangle Cat' doesn't get published smoothly this time..."

"I really have nothing left."

Upon hearing this, everyone sat up straight.

At first, no one took this matter too seriously, since it's perfectly normal for creators to lack inspiration or ideas.

How did this small matter inexplicably escalate into a major issue concerning Guan Gu's entire fortune?

Now everyone has to take this seriously.

Ziqiao was quick-witted and had no bottom line. He immediately came up with a reliable and effective solution: "It's no big deal. If you don't have any inspiration, just borrow someone else's."

"Anyway, you Japanese don't have much, except for a lot of manga. Just pick a few manga with similar themes, piece them together, and you've got this side story, right?"

Ziqiao, beaming with smugness, completely failed to notice Guan Gu's face suddenly darken.

"Da me da! Da me da! (No way!)" Guan Gu slammed his hand on the table angrily. "Zi Qiao, you're asking me to plagiarize!"

"Calling it plagiarism is going too far; we should call it borrowing and incorporating elements from existing works."

"Sister? Dragon Root?" Guan Gu couldn't hear what Zi Qiao, who had a cold, was saying, but he kept shaking his head. "Da me da! Da me da! Sister or sister, dragon root or ox root, whatever you say, it's just no way!"

"I am a cartoonist, an artist, a creator. Even if my comics cannot be published, even if I lose everything, I would rather commit seppuku than do something like plagiarism. This is my bottom line and principle."

"Don't push me to the point where I might commit seppuku any minute now!"

Ziqiao sighed, "Fine, fine, I won't copy anymore. I'm truly impressed by your stubbornness."

In Ziqiao's eyes, all writing in the world is plagiarism. Whether it's comics or novels, the core of the story was already written 500 years ago.

Five hundred years later, all these writers and cartoonists are borrowing and referencing ideas; the only difference is whether it's obvious or not.

But since Guan Gu was so determined and stubborn, Zi Qiao didn't intend to try to persuade him.

After all, he may not have many principles or bottom lines, but that doesn't mean he doesn't respect people who do.

There are only one scumbag in this world, that's enough. If there are any more, there won't be enough succubi to go to hell with.

"Why don't we pool our wisdom and help Guan Gu come up with a storyline together?"

Yu Mo looked at Guangu: "We came up with this ourselves, so it shouldn't be considered plagiarism, right?"

Guan Gu nodded; although he was stubborn, he was not pedantic.

Even renowned comic artists occasionally hold seminars to share their thoughts and experiences. It's not unreasonable for him and his friends to come up with a new side story.

Yifei clapped her hands and exclaimed, "Great idea! Who wants to give some feedback first?"

Everyone looked at each other.

……

The atmosphere at the scene froze instantly, falling into an awkward silence.

"How about someone who's read Guan Gu's 'Love Trivia' raises their hand first?"

Apart from Mika, who silently raised her hand, everyone else practically wanted to hide their heads under the table, let alone raise their hands.

"What?!?!"

Guan Gu looked shocked and complained aggrievedly, "I've been living in Love Apartment for three months now, and not one of you has even thought to look at my comics?"

"How awful!"

Just as everyone was starting to feel guilty and remorseful, Nanfeng just smiled nonchalantly.

"What's the big deal?"

"You've been living in Love Apartment for three months now, has anyone listened to Teacher Zeng's show?"

Guan Gu was stunned. His initial shock and grievance suddenly subsided, and he even felt somewhat insecure.

"Okay, let's just say that Teacher Zeng's program is too anti-human, it's simply not for human ears."

"I'm also a voice actor. Has anyone here heard me voice novels, anime, or games?"

Everyone remained silent, except for Yifei, who looked displeased.

What does it mean that Zeng Xiaoxian's program is simply not for human ears? Then what about someone like me who gets up in the middle of the night to secretly listen to Zeng Xiaoxian's radio program?

Am I an idiot?

The initial feelings of guilt that everyone had begun to have towards Guan Gu were instantly swept away by Nanfeng's words.

"So what do we do now? Are we supposed to watch Guan Gu's 'Love Trivia' all over again?"

Guan Gu shook his head: "Love Triangle Cat" is too long. There's definitely no time to finish reading it today. Everyone will be at work tomorrow, so there won't be enough time.

Nanfeng, however, had a rather novel idea: "Isn't Guan Gu lacking inspiration? Why don't we just give him one?"

Wanyu blinked her bewildered eyes: "Inspiration isn't money, how can you just give it to someone like that?"

[No, you're wrong, Miss. Money isn't something you can just give away like that.] Everyone thought to themselves.

Nanfeng asked Guangu a few questions that she had always wanted to ask him.

"Guan Gu, the main character in 'Love Triangle' is a cat, right?"

"Um."

Have you ever owned a cat?

"no."

Have you ever been in love?

"……No."

Nanfeng joked, "If you've never had love or owned a cat, what personal insights do you have in your 'A Clumsy Tale of Love'?"

"I know!" Curry Sauce excitedly raised her hand. "He has three legs!"