Chapter 38: , Masterpiece

The manuscript went around the small editorial department and received unanimous sincere praise, which made Chen Xiaomi feel very comfortable and very face-saving.

Passing it around, passing it around, the manuscript finally fell into the hands of Zhou Chunlan.

After finishing *To Live*, Zhou Chunlan felt so angry! So jealous!

But she was helpless...!

She thought unwillingly: Maybe, maybe this is fate?

She had been in this position for 6 years, and submissions with decent levels were like crucian carp crossing the river, countless.

But she had never encountered such a stunning one!

Stunning!

It was truly stunning!

At this moment, she felt the same way about Dai Shu's evaluation: it was like the soul-cleansing of reading Hemingway's *The Old Man and the Sea* for the first time.

It was just that unlike Dai Shu, Dai Shu was old and had already achieved success and fame; although he had pursuits for these fame and fortune, he definitely didn't have the same desire as them.

Originally, this manuscript was in her hands; she didn't expect that she would be cheap-handed again and distribute *To Live* to Xiaomi.

Speaking of Chen Xiaomi, Chen Xiaomi, aren't you asking for leave? Aren't you letting me substitute?

Then why are you here today?

Why come?

Are you here to snatch my luck?

Thinking of luck, Zhou Chunlan was even more depressed, feeling that God was deliberately pranking her in the dark, just pressing her, just not letting her take off on the spot.

Zhou Chunlan gripped the *To Live* manuscript, her fingernails almost broken, her heart bleeding; this was a wealth that poured from the sky! It was clearly in her hands, but it was gone in a blink of an eye.

At this moment, she hated God for being unfair! Hated Chen Xiaomi for having such a good life!

But she knew her own limitations; she couldn't go and break the rules to snatch it, and she didn't dare to snatch it. Because she couldn't afford to offend Chen Xiaomi, couldn't afford to offend the Chen family.

There were rumors that the editor-in-chief of People's Literature and Chen Gaoyuan were college classmates; with this layer of relationship, even if she gave Zhou Chunlan 100 dog guts, she wouldn't dare to court death!

Thinking through the cause and effect, Zhou Chunlan, who had straightened out her attitude, was full of blessings and smiles the moment she raised her head:

"Xiaomi, congratulations! This is a good manuscript that is hard to find in ten thousand gold; God is blessing you."

Chen Xiaomi wasn't some silly white sweet.

She was a proper person who had been tempered by intrigue in the rural countryside; this kind of little trick of Chunlan was like playing house in front of her.

Without a trace, she glanced at the fingernail marks left on the manuscript, and Chen Xiaomi smiled like a spring breeze, "This is also my luck; I didn't expect to pick up a big one today. If it succeeds, I'll treat everyone to a drink."

Hearing the word "drink," Dai Shu, who was addicted to alcohol, instantly got spirit, waved his hand to urge: "Success! How could it not succeed? Whoever dares to let such a manuscript be covered in dust is committing a crime.

Go, go find the editor-in-chief; I can't wait to see you, Little Chen, take out money to buy wine.

Let's say it first, don't buy cheap ones to fool this old guy."

"Rest assured, it will definitely satisfy you." Chen Xiaomi smiled, and under the urging of a group of colleagues, walked elegantly toward the editor-in-chief's office.

The so-called asking for leave earlier was actually because her throat was inflamed, a bit swollen and painful, and even her voice was hoarse.

She originally made an appointment with an old Chinese doctor, but he suddenly had a stroke and was hospitalized, so she had to see a Western doctor temporarily and opened some medicine.

Fortunately, she met a college classmate who had returned from studying abroad in the hospital, and the two ate breakfast together and talked very happily, which was also the reason why she was in a good mood this morning.

"Knock knock knock..."

The editor-in-chief's office was in the northeast corner; Chen Xiaomi adjusted her breathing and knocked lightly.

"Come in!" A loud voice came from inside.

Don't look at editor-in-chief Zhou Mingwei as only fifty-something, but his hair was already more than half white; if it weren't for his vigorous spirit, he would be an old man at a glance.

"Uncle Zhou."

"Xiaomi is here, sit."

Working together for two years, they were already quite familiar, plus the relationship between Chen Xiaomi and the general editor-in-chief of the Literary Society, Zhou Mingwei's attitude toward her was always relatively gentle. Compared to others, he had less seriousness.

However, Chen Xiaomi was a person who knew how to advance and retreat; she never put on airs because of her family relationship and was humble to everyone, looking like she was very easy to get along with.

Of course, this was only outside.

In the rural countryside before, she was also a character like Li Lan, sharp-tongued and never suffered losses; many men were afraid of her, and she was very powerful.

In his previous life, Li Heng didn't suffer less from her white eyes and sarcasm, which made him itch with hatred, and he was so angry that he couldn't eat for ten days or half a month.

"Just now I heard you were lively outside; did you encounter any good manuscripts?" There was only a door between the offices, and Zhou Mingwei generally had a number in his heart about what happened in the editorial department.

If it weren't for him being on the phone, if it weren't for his status, he would have pushed the door open and walked out long ago.

"There is such a piece; Dai Shu and the others read it and felt it was okay, so they urged me to come in and let you take a look, Uncle Zhou."

Knowing that what happened outside couldn't be hidden from the editor-in-chief, Chen Xiaomi simply spoke it out generously.

"Oh, Dai Shu also said it was good, then I have to take a good look." Zhou Mingwei put the fountain pen in his hand aside and took the manuscript to read.

*To Live*...

This name seemed to have some meaning; it should be directly pointing to the topic.

Zhou Mingwei thought so, opened the kraft paper, and read without raising his head.

"When I was ten years younger than I am now, I got a job of being idle, going to the countryside to collect folk songs.

That whole summer, I wandered in the countryside filled with cicadas and sunshine like a sparrow flying randomly..."

The simple description and first-person writing method in the first few paragraphs of the novel instantly attracted Zhou Mingwei's attention, making him want to continue reading.

In the story, Fugui was originally a rich young master, but he didn't know how to cherish this rich life and was addicted to gambling. Finally, he lost all his family business and was penniless and destitute.

His father was angered to death because he lost the family business, and his mother fell seriously ill in poverty...

This seemed to have opened Pandora's box, and tragic fate descended on Fugui again and again; first his son Youqing died of blood draw to save the county magistrate's wife, then his daughter Fengxia died of postpartum hemorrhage, his wife died of bone disease due to years of overwork, and his son-in-law Erxi was smashed to death by a stone slab at the construction site..."

Just when he was reading with relish, the manuscript was cut off at the waist here; Zhou Weiming felt so uncomfortable in his heart, as if thousands of ants were tearing at his bones.

Chen Xiaomi had been staring at him tightly, silent.

She understood that whether the manuscript was good or not was up to the editor-in-chief, her superior, and her expectations and opportunities were in the other party's hands.

"Gone?" Zhou Mingwei asked knowingly, not yet recovered from the book.

"Hmm, the writer only sent this much." Hearing the editor-in-chief's tone, Chen Xiaomi's tense heart instantly relaxed.

She thought it was done, there was a play!

"How many words are left in the back?" Just after speaking, Zhou Mingwei smiled bitterly, finding that he had asked a nonsense question again.

Seeing the editor-in-chief twice out of state, Chen Xiaomi's eyes brightened a few points, smiling and saying: "Twelve Months left a contact phone number; we can ask and know in a while."

Zhou Mingwei slowly closed the manuscript, staring at "Twelve Months" without blinking, pondering for a long time before commenting:

"This is a simple, rough epic, a story of struggle and survival, leaving a very deep image of cruelty and kindness.

This Twelve Months is very good at describing characters; that kind of struggling is vividly reflected under his pen.

Suffering-joy-suffering, this is finding joy in suffering, life in death; this realm transcends the convention of novels, has writing, has thoughts, has stories, and the external and internal core are highly unified. If it maintains this level later, it is a well-deserved masterpiece."

At this point, editor-in-chief Zhou Mingwei raised his head and sighed: "Just as Dai Shu said, this is a work that can establish status. If it can be published, it will definitely cause a sensation."

This status refers to having a huge influence in the literary world and reaching the sky in one step, meaning *To Live* becomes a representative work.

Chen Xiaomi was very excited; after receiving unanimous high praise from Dai Shu and the editor-in-chief, she seemed to have seen her figure on the road to the sky.

PS: Seeking monthly tickets! Seeking pursuit!

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 39 =====