Chapter 37: , Fame Begins to Show

The editorial office was a north-facing room.

There weren't many desks inside, about a dozen or so, all placed against the windows and walls.

On every desk were stacks of manuscripts, and on the floor too; they were all wrapped in kraft paper, with the submission name written on the outer paper.

Chen Xiaomi was a person who loved to dress up and also a person who loved cleanliness, but she loved flowers and plants even more.

And so, on her desk was a pot of spring orchids that were very popular in this era.

Originally, she didn't have to come to work today, but as one of the people with the least seniority in this office, Chen Xiaomi also had her own persistence and ambition.

She didn't want to be labeled by colleagues as "entering through the connections of the older generation"; she wanted to use her own ability and talent to make achievements and hold her head high.

And what did an editor rely on to improve their performance?

Naturally, it was relying on discovering good writers and good works; the more manuscripts she handled that were published, the more she would be recognized by the Literary Society.

If she had explosive luck and could dig out a new writer who could shake the literary world, her fame and status in the Literary Society and the industry would rise with the tide and improve rapidly.

This was the fastest shortcut for editors like them to get promoted and get a raise and brush up their reputation.

In the 80s, the literary style was prevalent, writers had high status, and the income from publishing a manuscript wasn't small. Like their most prestigious literary magazine in the country, they received countless submissions from all over the country every day.

Very busy!

It was just a pity that although new writers emerged by the thousands every day, the super cattle people she could encounter and pick up were almost equivalent to finding a needle in a haystack; opportunities were rare and hard to come by.

Carrying some fragmented thoughts, Chen Xiaomi had already reviewed seven or eight manuscripts in the blink of an eye; these manuscripts couldn't be called too bad, but they couldn't be called too good either. Among them, only one could barely enter her eyes.

Eliminating another one...

Chen Xiaomi held a teacup in her right hand, while her left hand skillfully took a new one from a stack of manuscripts.

Glancing at the name on the outer paper: *To Live*, author Twelve Months.

This glance was plain and simple; she didn't see anything special.

Looking at it, it was another "mediocre talent." With such a thought flashing through her mind, she read quickly while sipping tea.

It was just that as she read, Chen Xiaomi was stunned for a moment, only then realizing that the teacup had been at her mouth for a long time without moving; she had actually substituted herself into the character in the book and forgot herself.

As a review editor for People's Literature, Chen Xiaomi's professionalism and quality were unquestionable; she instantly understood what this state represented.

What did it mean?

Thinking of this, she felt a shock in her heart; she couldn't even drink tea, quickly put down the cup, glanced at the novel name *To Live* again, and immediately gathered her twelve points of spirit to read it again.

That's right, read it again! Read it from beginning to end!

Changing from the previous attitude of swallowing dates whole, she savored it carefully, word by word, without any negligence.

This look was incredible!

She was quickly attracted by the dancing words, addicted to it, and couldn't extricate herself.

She didn't know how long this look lasted...

When she came back to her senses again, she found that the manuscript had reached the end, and there was no more.

Chen Xiaomi supported her glasses frame with her fingertips, her gaze still staying on the last line of the last page, staring blankly like a wooden sculpture, unwilling to leave, unable to speak for a long time.

"Hey, Xiaomi, what are you dazing about? My fountain pen fell to the ground and broke; lend me a pen."

Sister Liao at the next desk saw her motionless, shouting without response, so she simply reached out and waved in front of her.

Her eyelids shook, and Chen Xiaomi, who was gradually reacting, subconsciously checked the source of the manuscript.

Submission address: Shaoshi No. 1 Middle School, Hunan Province.

Huh?

Actually from Shao Yang, her fellow townsman?

Chen Xiaomi thought she was dazzled, closed and opened her eyes, and found that the address hadn't changed; it was indeed Shaoshi No. 1 Middle School.

What a coincidence!

How good!

Discovering that the author was her fellow townsman, Chen Xiaomi felt an indescribable feeling in her heart, happy, sweet, and feeling honored and intimate.

Because her first thought was: She was from Shaoshi, and the author was also from Shaoshi; as the saying goes, fellow townsmen meet fellow townsmen, tears in their eyes; just by relying on this point, the two had a natural closeness attribute.

Plus, she was an editor of a big-name literary magazine, and Twelve Months was a new writer; the two complemented each other, had no conflict of interest, and were the best golden partners; maybe they could cooperate for a long time in the future.

Why did she judge the other party to be a new writer? Because she had been paying attention to the literary world for nearly ten years and had never heard of the name "Twelve Months."

Reasonably speaking, if the other party was an old person, it was impossible for them to have such profound literary attainments and not be a famous person!

It was impossible to be buried!

Thinking and thinking, the already excited mood became more and more uncontrollable.

Newcomers are good! Newcomers are good!

If Twelve Months was a new writer, she would have a greater advantage and be able to grasp the other party better.

With such thoughts, Chen Xiaomi was even more unable to restrain herself, feeling that the road ahead was wide open, and the opportunity she had been waiting for was right in front of her.

It truly lived up to the phrase: Who has no stormy weather, waiting for the clouds to open and see the moonlight.

Her gaze fell on the information of the submission writer unconsciously again.

No. 1 Middle School...

This was where Zijin once studied.

Was the other party a teacher?

It should be a teacher; maybe a Chinese teacher who had been immersed in words for many years.

Seeing Chen Xiaomi smiling, her eyes full of flowing light, Sister Liao, who was borrowing a pen, didn't rush to borrow the fountain pen, and couldn't help but lean over and ask:

"Xiaomi, I've known you for nearly two years, and I've never seen you so spirited; did you encounter a fairy manuscript?"

Sister Liao said this not without reason.

She had heard of the background of the Chen family, and Chen Xiaomi was also a high-achieving student who graduated from Renmin University; ordinary manuscripts weren't qualified to make Xiaomi so forgetful.

Afraid that she had an aesthetic bias, Chen Xiaomi generously handed *To Live* to Sister Liao:

"Sister Liao, help me take a look."

This office was all initial review, and manuscripts that were good had to be handed over to the deputy director of the editorial department and editor-in-chief Zhou Mingwei for final review to pass.

So in order to prevent any mistakes, everyone sometimes let colleagues with good relationships look over them before sending them for review.

Generally, those who went through this process were either those they weren't sure about, or the manuscripts were too good, so they let others help control them.

And today, Chen Xiaomi was clearly because the manuscript was too good, good to the point of explosion, good to the point where she couldn't control herself.

She wasn't worried that the other party would snatch the manuscript; firstly, so many people were watching, who dared to do this openly?

Secondly, the Chen family wasn't something to be trifled with; in front of the Chen family, Sister Liao couldn't turn over any waves.

"Fine, a manuscript that can make you so excited must be extraordinary; I'll read it." Sister Liao took the manuscript and buried her head in browsing.

40,000 words wasn't much, but it wasn't little either; Sister Liao spent a full 20 minutes before finishing it.

Chen Xiaomi asked for the first time: "Sister Liao, how is it?"

Sister Liao calmed down and said very enviously after a long while: "Really good! Written really well! No wonder you would be so moved; if it were me, I might be even more unbearable.

Xiaomi, this is an opportunity; you must grasp it."

Hearing Sister Liao praise it so much, Dai Shu, who was tired of looking and was taking a short rest, couldn't hold back, stood up, and reached out: "Come, let me see, is it really that good?"

Chen Xiaomi smiled and personally sent the manuscript into the other party's hands: "Here, you help me take a look."

Dai Shu was an old veteran of the editorial department; it was said that the higher-ups were ready to let him be the director, but because of his poor health and old age, he finally gave the opportunity to younger people selflessly.

With such an old veteran with a say, Chen Xiaomi was naturally begging for it, and while waiting, she also secretly observed the look on the other party's face.

Dai Shu was a person who had experienced suffering; the few lines at the beginning of *To Live* attracted him.

During the reading process, the look on his face changed, as if the article had evoked many memories.

At this point, Chen Xiaomi's heart settled, and she had a bottom line.

Dai Shu was too immersed, his speed was slow, and it took nearly 40 minutes to finish reading.

Sister Liao asked hurriedly: "How is the manuscript?"

Dai Shu took off his reading glasses and said with great emotion: "Little Chen picked up a treasure; the last time I had this feeling was Hemingway's *The Old Man and the Sea*, incredible, incredible..."

In this office, Dai Shu was almost an authority; his evaluation was often more useful than the editor-in-chief and was more favored.

He said *To Live* was okay, then it was really okay, without a bit of faking.

Hearing Dai Shu's such high evaluation, hearing that it could be compared to *The Old Man and the Sea*, the others in the office instantly couldn't sit still, their curiosity was completely hooked, and they spoke one after another:

"Xiaomi, let me see."

"I want to see."

"I want to see too..."

PS: Seeking monthly tickets! Seeking pursuit! Please help, big bosses.

PS: The pen name is changed to "Twelve Months," auspicious.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 38 =====