Chapter 76: Leading the Trend, Sharing Dinner

Cao Sheng did not know he had led Ke Jingteng in Taipei astray, nor did he know he had also led the ruffian Cai in Tainan astray.

But he knew he seemed to have led quite a few authors under Banyan Tree astray.

One night, after finishing a chapter of his manuscript and taking a temporary break, he casually logged onto Banyan Tree and browsed the webpage with no particular intent.

By chance, he saw Li Xunhuan serializing a work titled "Under the Immortal Void."

Afterwards, he saw Xing Yusen's "The Successor of the Loose Immortal," Annie Baobei's "Legendary Dao Companions in the Cultivation Realm," and Jin Hezai's "Dark Cultivation"...

Seeing these works, he felt somewhat surprised, yet not entirely surprised.

What surprised him was that these authors apparently had not written these works in the original timeline.

What did not surprise him was that he had long predicted that "I Wish to Become an Immortal" appearing on the internet in 1998 would definitely influence many people.

Just as back then, after he had read works like "Legend of the Dragon Warrior" and "I Am the Great Mage," he lost interest in traditional genre novels, and even traditional martial arts fiction.

Having witnessed the boundless imagination of web novels and the unrestrained joy of their protagonists, how many people could still be interested in traditional works?

Even traditional martial arts fiction pales in comparison before web novels.

Is the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms very powerful?

Do you want to see the Great Wilderness Heaven-Imprisoning Finger?

Is the Six Meridian Divine Swords insanely awesome?

Is it more awesome than a flying sword?

Does Duan Zhengchun have great romantic fortune and many women?

Do you know that opening a harem is basic operation for male protagonists in web novels? There are even details of the indescribable kind!

What? You just want to see Duan Zhengchun's women?

How about checking out the fan fiction of "Heavenly Dragon Eight Parts"? The male protagonist takes all of Duan Zhengchun's women, including several of Duan Zhengchun's daughters! Don't you want to see it?

Of course, current web novels are far from developing to that stage.

But his Cao Sheng's "I Wish to Become an Immortal" has already opened the door to a new world for everyone and has already influenced a portion of authors.

Regarding this, he was delighted.

One evening.

Amidst the dismissal bell, Cao Sheng held his textbooks and notes, walked out of the teaching building with his classmates, and prepared to go to the cafeteria to solve today's dinner.

Yet just as he stepped out of the teaching building, he saw Huang Qingya, wearing a beige long dress, standing by the flower bed ahead with a smile; when he saw her, she raised a jade arm and waved at him repeatedly.

"Holy crap! Is this woman waving at me?"

Cao Sheng heard a classmate's low exclamation from behind.

He also heard the surprise of several other classmates.

"She is so fair..."

"I like this figure!"

"Top quality!"

Cao Sheng was surprised that Huang Qingya had come to find him again.

Immediately, he recalled that when she left last time, she seemed to have said she would bring him the membership certificate of the Writers' Association in a few days.

Is she here to deliver the membership certificate to me today?

With these questions, he walked to Huang Qingya with a smile, "Sister Huang, are you here to deliver the certificate for me?"

Huang Qingya pushed the glasses on her nose, smiled, and nodded, "Yes! It was agreed last time! I urged them a bit these past few days, otherwise this certificate would still need a few more days to come down."

Saying this, she lowered her head, opened her handbag, took out a membership certificate with a green cover from inside, and handed it to Cao Sheng.

Cao Sheng had never seen this thing before.

Immediately, he reached out to take it, "Thank you for making another trip; thank you! Many thanks!"

Huang Qingya looked at Cao Sheng flipping through the certificate with a smile and said jokingly, "If you truly want to thank me, then treat me to a meal? I haven't had dinner yet anyway!"

Cao Sheng looked up at her and smiled, "What's wrong with that? Having a meal with a beauty like you is my honor; shall we go? Let's find a restaurant outside?"

Huang Qingya was indeed very beautiful.

Especially that figure like a water peach, which held great attraction for him.

Huang Qingya smiled and nodded, "Alright! Then I won't be polite?"

Cao Sheng: "Let's go!"

Thus, the two of them walked out of the school gate together; as they left, Huang Qingya brought her bicycle but did not ride it, instead pushing the bicycle and walking side by side with Cao Sheng.

This scene attracted many glances all the way.

A handsome man and a beautiful woman, after all, always easily attract attention.

Cao Sheng was already handsome; after becoming famous and having money, his attire rose in class; the so-called red qi nourishes a person, which was also reflected in him.

Plus the mature temperament of a reborn person, he usually attracted attention even when walking alone on campus, let alone today when Huang Qingya, like a water peach, was by his side?

Huang Qingya not only had a good figure and high looks but also wore gold-rimmed glasses; she could be said to possess both sexiness and a scholarly air; let alone the boys on campus liked to look, even the girls couldn't help but glance sideways.

Stepping out of the school gate, Cao Sheng frowned.

Because he suddenly thought there were no upscale restaurants near the school gate; the restaurants and eateries in this area mainly did business with students; the most common were food stalls; the highest class was probably Huizhou Family, but Huizhou Family's class was just so-so, following the route of economy and practicality, with oil stains always on the dining tables, the soundproofing of private rooms was also very poor; although the taste of the dishes was not bad, it could not be called exquisite.

Taking Huang Qingya to a place like that to eat, he felt it was not very suitable.

And restaurants with some class and fame, such as Old Street First Floor, Zhuangyuan's One Family, Natural Abode... were all some distance away from their school.

"Sister Huang, shall we take a taxi? You can just lock your bicycle by the roadside."

After a slight pause, Cao Sheng proposed to Huang Qingya.

Huang Qingya blinked her eyes, "Take a taxi? Where do you want to take me to eat?"

Cao Sheng: "How about the first floor on Old Street?"

Huang Qingya nodded. "That place is nice, but it's quite expensive. You're still a student; why not just find a small restaurant nearby? Don't spend so much!"

Cao Sheng laughed helplessly. "It's fine! I'm still a student, but I'm no longer a poor one. Let's go! Lock your bike by the roadside, and we'll take a taxi over."

As he spoke, he was about to hail a taxi on the roadside, but Huang Qingya called him back. "Hey! Forget it, don't take a taxi! Why waste that money? Can you ride a bike? If you can, just ride your bike and give me a lift!"

Hmm?

Cao Sheng turned around in surprise.

Moments later, he was riding Huang Qingya's bicycle, with Huang Qingya seated on the rear rack. Her Bai Yu-like lotus arms were wrapped around his waist, her chest pressed against his back, as they rode further and further away into the sunset glow.

Cao Sheng felt that treating her to dinner tonight was worth it.

Upon arriving at the destination and getting off the bike, Huang Qingya's face turned a bit red, and she couldn't bear to meet Cao Sheng's gaze anymore.

Not until the dishes and wine were served and they had both drunk a few cups did she return to her natural state.

Then they began talking about Cao Sheng's work.

Huang Qingya: "I finished your book 'Days Living with an Air Hostess' long ago. I specifically bought a copy to read again. It's so moving, especially when Ran Jing dies; I felt my heart shatter, and tears wouldn't stop falling. How could you be so cruel to kill off Ran Jing? Couldn't there be a happy ending?"

Cao Sheng chuckled lightly. "You can't blame me. It's you literary youths who like such works; I'm just catering to your preferences."

Huang Qingya rolled her eyes at him. "You're talking nonsense! Who told you literary youths like such works?"

Cao Sheng countered: "Then you don't like this book?"

Huang Qingya: "..."

After a moment of silence, she nodded helplessly. "Alright! I do like your book. Now that I think about it, if Ran Jing hadn't died, I certainly wouldn't have been moved to tears while reading it."

Afterwards, she brought up Cao Sheng's 'I Wish to Become an Immortal'.

"By the way, I recently saw the latest chapter of your book 'I Wish to Become an Immortal' on Rongshu Xia. This book is so special; I can't believe you wrote it too. It's vastly different from your previous book. How did you come up with this story?"

With food, wine, and endless topics to discuss, they unknowingly finished an entire bottle of red wine.

It was fine while drinking, but after paying the bill and stepping out of the shop, a blast of night wind made Huang Qingya sway, barely able to stand.