How to raise a random guy's wife

Humans have the ability to see through others at a glance.

Especially when that person is very similar to your past self.

“Sympathy for a character should be the reader’s emotion. As a creator, you should let the reader feel this emotion, rather than let this emotion stop you from moving forward.” Kasumigaoka Utaha said earnestly, “Like here, after the previous foreshadowing and rendering, the reader already had a premonition of her tragedy. What was left was the emotional outburst at the moment the truth was revealed—but you extinguished that emotion.”

As Bo Island sailed out to sea, his eyes gleamed, and he sensed that he had vaguely grasped something.

Kasumigaoka Utaha recalled Akane Kousaka's scolding and sarcasm towards her back then, which could even be described as insults.

Time flies, and when Kasumigaoka Utaha sees Hashima Saikai now, it's like seeing herself when she was making Chronicles XIII.

Did I finally become just like her?

No, it's not the same.

Kasumigaoka Utaha took a deep breath, suppressing the sarcastic remarks that were about to come out. "Your art style and character design are very good, but your understanding of story creation is not enough. You need to calm down and think carefully. If you can't be ruthless enough to write cruel stories, then write some warm and healing content. Trying to do both will only result in losing both."

Eriri looked at Kasumigaoka Utaha with surprise.

This woman is being a little too gentle today!

Why are you so gentle with other women?

Kobayashi Sora and Kobayashi Megumi exchanged a glance, both noticing Kasumigaoka Utaha's unusual behavior.

Megumi Kobayashi blinked, pointed upwards, and then shook her finger.

Kobayashi Sora understood.

While guiding Hashima on her voyage, Kasumigaoka Utaha recalled how she had been guided by Akane Kousaka years ago.

The change in her identity made her realize that she was becoming Akane Akasaka.

This is unacceptable to Kasumigaoka Utaha, who wants to defeat Akane Akasaka.

It doesn't want to become that woman's shape.

This thought made Kasumigaoka Utaha suppress her sharp tongue and guide Hashima's voyage in a gentle way.

Just as she had hoped back then.

but......

"Ah..." Po Island was somewhat dazed as she left the sea. "Hmm... I understand... Let me think about it some more..."

Eriri frowned, keenly sensing that something was wrong with the situation at sea around Hashima.

As a fellow illustrator, Eriri, who has undergone several transformations, is all too familiar with this state of bewilderment.

It's like you've grasped something, but not completely; you're trying hard to figure out what you're trying to grasp, but you have absolutely no clue.

One can only ponder in confusion, practice day after day, until a moment of sudden inspiration strikes.

Or perhaps that moment will never come.

"Thank you, senior," Poshima said politely. "I'll go back and tidy up a bit..."

With her red eyes reflecting the current state of the island as it sails out to sea, Kasumigaoka Utaha closed her eyes and sighed.

So that's how it is...

hateful.

So this is ah.

I used to think I would become like Akane Akasaka, but now that I think about it, I was overestimating myself.

My past self, and my present self, are both like idiots.

"So, do you understand now?" Kasumigaoka Utaha opened her eyes and stared at the sea venturing out to Hashima. "Do you understand this feeling now?"

Bo Island was taken aback when it set sail.

This feeling refers to...

She recalled what Kasumigaoka Utaha had just said.

[“After the previous foreshadowing and buildup, the reader already had a premonition of her tragedy; all that remained was the emotional outburst at the moment the truth was revealed—and you extinguished that emotion.”]

Yes, that's exactly the feeling.

Having just received guidance from Kasumigaoka Utaha, Hashima Izumi is prepared for her criticism. All that remains is to accept it and grow under her intense and demanding lessons.

Having just realized this when setting sail from Hashima, Kasumigaoka Utaha suddenly became a gentle breeze and drizzle.

When Bo Island looks at the original manuscript, do readers feel the same awkward, neither-here-nor-there feeling when they see their own work?

No wonder Eriri looked so conflicted earlier.

Kasumigaoka Utaha narrowed her red eyes dangerously. "The emotions you created made the readers' expectations balloon grow bigger and bigger. The readers were all looking forward to the sound of the balloon bursting, but you let the air out at the last moment. Do you think that's fun?"

As Bo Island shrank back instinctively, "I...I'm not..."

"The bigger the balloon of expectation you blow up, the more disappointed you'll be when it deflates! Do you think you've done justice to the character you created? Do you think you've done justice to all the emotional buildup you put in? Do you think you've done justice to your own efforts? You don't even respect your own efforts, yet you expect readers to respect you?!" Kasumigaoka Utaha's voice grew increasingly harsh, more like an accusation than a question. "Wishful thinking! A grand firework soars into the sky but doesn't explode, and when you open Eriri's doujinshi, all the characters are dressed, but when you take off your clothes, there's only a pad underneath. You think this is funny, that it makes people feel happy and healed? What a joke!"

Why am I being dragged into this again... Eriri instinctively wanted to retort, but then shut her mouth.

I'll think about it for a bit and then refute her when I get home.

"I...I really..." Poshima Izumi helplessly covered his chest with his hands.

"Take a good look at what you've drawn! It has content, but it's mediocre at best! It's like a razor idly rubbing back and forth, shaving off a few stray hairs! It's a stupid arrangement that only creates subtle pressure for the reader, offering neither pleasure nor despair—it's utterly worthless! Subtle bitterness, subtle cruelty, subtle bitterness, and subtle sweetness... all you've got in your drawing is seasoning! Do you look down on entertainment?" Kasumigaoka Utaha cursed mercilessly. "And you dare to proudly show it to others, asking for guidance? Eriri can guide your drawing skills, I can guide your technique, but neither of us can help you improve your work, because the problem is with you. Instead of spending time asking others for guidance, you should go to the hospital to get your brain checked! See if there's any hope left for your self-righteousness and inexplicable arrogance!"

This sounds familiar.

Kobayashi Megumi suddenly remembered that these were the very words Akane Akasaka had used to reprimand Kasumigaoka Utaha.

Kobayashi Sora sighed.

Even if Kasumigaoka Utaha didn't want it, this is still how it ended up.

Eriri looked at Hashima Shirai with some concern. This junior schoolmate was not like her, who had extensive experience of long-term online battles with Kasumigaoka Utaha.

Utaha Kasumigaoka's words were a bit too harsh.

I'm afraid a trip to Bo Island might be...

Then Eriri saw the genuine joy on Hashima's face as he went out to sea.

Eh?

Chapter 592 Exhilarating

Eriri's dazzling blonde hair was covered with question marks.

Could it be that Bo Island suddenly awakened some special attribute when it went out to sea?

Even Eriri, who had been arguing with Kasumigaoka Utaha for a long time, felt that these words were a bit too hurtful.

Despite being out at sea, Po Island had such a happy expression on its face.

hiss......

It seems like even though he gets teased by Kasumigaoka Utaha every day, he still spends time with her day and night, and even lives with her.

I never thought there would be people like this... Huh?

Eriri suddenly fell into deep thought.

Noticing the expression on Hashima Izumi's face, Kasumigaoka Utaha paused, "You understand?"

"Yes!" Bodao Chuhai nodded vigorously. "Compared to the gentle guidance before, the stern criticism later was much more powerful. After my senior's demonstration, I finally understand the difference. Creation is about arousing anticipation and then responding to it. A story that starts strong but ends weakly is unacceptable; it's disrespectful to yourself, the readers, and the story itself!"

The truth that I couldn't understand just now finally came to me the moment my chaotic thoughts were forcibly brought to a halt by Kasumigaoka Utaha's curses.

When he looked at the original manuscript again, the previous blankness was completely gone.

"That's good..." Kasumigaoka Utaha waved her hand. "Good luck."

"Thank you, senior!" Bodao Chuhai bowed deeply, happily took the manuscript, and left with light steps.

"Impressive," Kobayashi Sora exclaimed. "As expected of you."

To be able to insult people so happily.

Kasumigaoka Utaha glared at Kobayashi Sora and clicked her tongue, "I lost."

Xiao Lin Kong Qing: "?"

"I thought I wouldn't become like her, but I still ended up becoming like her." Kasumigaoka Utaha slammed her fist on the table in frustration. "I thought I would use a better method than hers, but I found out that her method was the better one."

Whether it was Kasumigaoka Utaha back then or Izumi Hashima now, the problems with their works stem from their own issues.

Too soft-hearted.

Not ruthless enough.

Before even touching the readers, I've already moved myself, and then subconsciously softened the story.

It doesn't sound like there's anything seriously wrong.

However, from the reader's perspective, the problem is quite obvious.

The readers hadn't forgiven the villain yet, but the author forgave him first and gave him a happy ending.

This is complete insanity.

This situation only occurred because she was too gentle.

Gentle guidance won't work with an author like this.

It's already lukewarm water; adding more lukewarm water won't help.

Either freeze it with extreme cold or boil it with high heat.

In short, we need to take drastic measures.

We must be ruthless in our criticism, our sarcasm, and our relentless cursing.

Only when the reader feels the brutal anger, experiences the anger of the reader in the face of this story, and feels the anger of the protagonist in the face of the villain, will the author realize what a foolish thing they have done.

Kasumigaoka Utaha, realizing this, changed her approach.

Compared to the joy of going out to sea on Hashima Island, Kasumigaoka Utaha is now experiencing extreme distress.

First, it made me more clearly aware of my own arrogance back then;