[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-1987-my-era":3,"chapter-1987-my-era-1987-my-era-chapter-51":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","1987: My Era",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2259211,4409,"Chapter 51: What Is a Benefactor? This Is","1987-my-era-chapter-51",51,"\u003Cp>Li Heng turned to Zou Ping: “What about you, Editor Zou?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this critical moment, Chen Xiaomi and Wang Runwen stared directly at each other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meeting their three pairs of eyes, Zou Ping sighed: “Thirty yuan per thousand characters is already the highest royalty standard in the country—Even ‘Shouhuo’ Magazine can only offer this much.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Chen Xiaomi quietly relaxed, then shifted her gaze to Li Heng, wondering how he would decide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sensing the bitch’s stare, Li Heng understood exactly what she was thinking—but he ignored it entirely and instead probed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Editor Zou, what about royalties? What percentage does your press set?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Xiaomi was momentarily confused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zou Ping was equally baffled and asked instinctively: “What royalties?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was no wonder he asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his decade-plus career, this was the first time a writer had ever inquired about royalties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Until now, the concept had never even registered in Zou Ping’s subconscious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their stunned reactions didn’t surprise Li Heng—he knew the first writer in the future to receive royalties was Wang Shuo, and that wouldn’t happen until two years from now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he pressed on: “Gentlemen, I recall the state issued a policy a few years ago establishing a royalty rate of five percent for every ten thousand copies printed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If I say I won’t take a flat fee, but instead propose a royalty agreement based on print run with your press…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He paused deliberately, studying them with deep implication—his meaning was clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His ambitions were vast; he knew it was nearly impossible, knew the chance of securing royalties was near zero—but he still wanted to try.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or rather, even if this attempt failed, the groundwork laid today might make the next one succeed?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, in his past life he’d seen real money; his vision and ambition far surpassed his peers’.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Wang Shuo could pull it off in his lifetime, why not see if there was even a sliver of possibility to do it two years early?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he succeeded, he’d have done something great. With this identity, he could charge through the literary world, and every writer would owe him a debt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he failed? So what—he’d just slink away quietly. If absolutely necessary, he could switch to another magazine and earn RMB the old-fashioned way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Chen Xiaomi and Zou Ping stared at each other, utterly stunned—their first thought was that Li Heng was young and arrogant, shockingly overreaching!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Absurd!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, the state had such a policy—but policies on paper meant nothing in practice; no one in reality had ever received royalties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Ba Lao, the revered chief editor of ‘Shouhuo’ Magazine, had never broken the mold—he took his flat fee like everyone else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both editors agreed: ‘To Live’ was good, truly remarkable—but it wasn’t good enough for a debut writer like Li Heng to pressure a publishing house into submission.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two editors wore tight, silent expressions, frozen in place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The English teacher watched this, heart pounding. She longed to advise Li Heng—but the setting wasn’t right, so she held her tongue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that Chen Xiaomi and Zou Ping both remained silent, Li Heng glanced at the wall clock, stood up, and said: “Gentlemen, class is about to start—I must go. Let’s meet again this afternoon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing he was truly leaving, Zou Ping couldn’t hold back: “Teacher Li, the royalty-on-print-run matter has no precedent—I can’t give you an answer right away. I must consult the press leadership.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng smiled: “Of course. I’m not in a hurry. Please keep my identity confidential. See you later.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, he opened the door and left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Xiaomi watched his retreating back, frowning. She felt her carefully laid trap had turned to air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a while, Zou Ping, having calmed himself, thanked Wang Runwen: “Teacher Wang, thank you for your trouble today. I must now contact the press leadership—I’ll take my leave.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Runwen saw him to the door: “It was nothing. Editor Zou, you’re too polite. Please go slowly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With both gone, the room fell instantly quiet. Chen Xiaomi sized up Wang Runwen, lingering several glances on her full chest, then finally took her leave as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ding ling ling… ding ling ling…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shanghai, Chief Editor’s Office, ‘Shouhuo’ Magazine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the third ring, the chief editor stopped chatting with Ba Lao across from him, stood, and picked up the receiver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hello, who’s calling?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Chief Editor, it’s me, Zou Ping.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing it was Zou Ping, Chief Editor Liao glanced at Ba Lao beside him and hurriedly asked: “How did it go? What about the next part of ‘To Live’?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zou Ping replied: “It’s complicated. But the next part of ‘To Live’ is excellent! Outstanding! Even better than the first forty thousand characters…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He paused, realizing he was speaking incoherently, then rephrased carefully:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I haven’t seen work of this caliber in years. This is the highest-quality submission I’ve ever received in my career—I doubt I’ll see its equal for years to come.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chief Editor Liao knew Zou Ping well—calm, unpretentious, a man of action. If he kept praising it, ‘To Live’’s continuation was certainly exceptional.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chief Editor Liao pressed: “Then why haven’t you secured it yet? Did ‘People’s Literature’ snatch it away?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not yet…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a formal request—he dared not hide anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He recounted everything: Li Heng’s age, his knowledge and speech, the inspiration from his second uncle, the hundreds of books he’d read, and his demand for royalty-on-print-run—all exactly as it happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not a word exaggerated, not a word omitted—pure, unvarnished truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chief Editor Liao listened patiently, his expression no less stunned than Chen Xiaomi’s and Zou Ping’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Long silence. Then he turned to Ba Lao: “Teacher, did you hear that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In such a quiet room, of course he’d heard—Ba Lao nodded with a faint smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chief Editor Liao looked astonished: “Seventeen! Under eighteen! He wrote ‘To Live’? Do you believe it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ba Lao remained silent for a long while, then sighed: “Some things are real—they can’t be faked. Didn’t you hear his father works in education? Didn’t you hear about those hundreds, even thousands of books?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chief Editor Liao said: “But…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ba Lao waved him off: “Little Zou said the rival comes from the same place as this ‘Shi Yue.’ The rival didn’t question the books or the second uncle—so they’re likely real. Very likely.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chief Editor Liao asked: “Should Zou Ping investigate?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ba Lao shook his head: “Someone who writes ‘To Live’ is a genius. He shouldn’t be disturbed lightly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chief Editor Liao nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, an investigation wouldn’t reveal anything—Zou Ping himself felt inferior just hearing the story. This ‘Shi Yue’ might not be a scholar of five carts, but he was certainly a man of profound learning—with genuine talent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Realizing this, Chief Editor Liao asked: “Teacher, what about the royalty issue…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ba Lao countered: “What’s your opinion?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chief Editor Liao shook his head: “There’s no precedent!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ba Lao picked up his teacup, sipped, and said: “Then we’ll have no part in ‘To Live.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chief Editor Liao asked: “You mean ‘People’s Literature’?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ba Lao replied: “Under equal conditions, who would you favor?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, the fellow townsman—he understood perfectly: “But royalty-on-print-run…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After uttering those five words, Chief Editor Liao fell silent, fixing his gaze on his teacher.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those words unexpectedly stirred memories in Ba Lao—of past eras when writers starved, when some took their own lives. Long moments passed before he set down his teacup and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Writers have it hard. The literary sky of this new era should be wider, brighter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What is a benefactor?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A final decision!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chief Editor Liao blinked, understanding what he must do. Moments later, he spoke into the phone:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We can agree to some of Shi Yue’s demands, but since this breaks precedent, we must impose limits…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1296,"2026-06-19T15:27:33.982Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","4409613d004ed9fa0dc48eca13ceb59de9d02b3c926daeb1823c8b2f3bb694cb","1987-my-era-chapter-52","1987-my-era-chapter-50",713,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002F1987-my-era-cover.jpg"]