Chapter 87: Before Going Live, Let Me Say a Few Words About This Book

【Before Going Live, Let Me Say a Few Words About This Book】

It goes live at midnight tonight, just over an hour left.

This book stems from a story idea I once had, but I hesitated for a long time before starting—because of… censorship.

Not web novel censorship—urban fantasy, urban cultivation, those are allowed in web novels; for example, Fat Dragon’s Corpse Puller next door.

The ones who urged me not to write this book were my copyright partners; they repeatedly advised me not to write this one, to pick another story.

Because under a modern urban setting, supernatural themes can only be written as psychic abilities or science fiction. (Like my last book, Keep It Cool, which was psychic abilities and soft sci-fi.)

But if you write urban cultivation or urban fantasy, you completely cut off any chance of film or TV adaptation—you won’t even sell the anime rights.

Because due to censorship, film, TV, and anime can never acquire the rights to urban fantasy or urban cultivation—psychic abilities can still skate close to the edge under the guise of soft sci-fi.

Cultivation in a modern urban setting completely blocks the IP path. Within today’s film and anime censorship framework, the city must never contain ghosts, gods, or anything supernatural.

But… I was capricious again.

Writing another story isn’t impossible, but… only this story makes me feel something when I write it.

There’s actually a more profitable project—a Dushikehuan theme—and last year the client already approached me; they were even willing to guarantee the copyright, meaning the rights were pre-sold before I even wrote it—but when I saw the framework, I didn’t like it, felt no connection, so I turned it down.

Maybe, at over forty, I’m still this stubborn bastard.

I just want to write about a small-time schemer who quits his big tech job and is forced to become a con artist priest.

I just want to write a little hustler with a Northeastern accent.

I just want to write a timid, cute, unlucky girl.

I just want to write a carefree, eccentric old grandma.

I just want to write a stepmother story…

…and there are even more interesting characters coming later…

·

Frankly, so far this book’s performance is worse than my last one—I know exactly why: my last book had severe, prolonged hiatuses.

It damaged many readers’ trust.

So now, this book’s performance is much worse than the last one, and I accept it willingly—cause and effect, after all.

But I truly wrote this story seriously, with care.

Before writing this book, I reviewed my past experience, so this one has a smaller framework; I no longer want to create logic traps that corner me and leave me stuck.

With a simpler framework, I should minimize the risk of writer’s block.

Since the framework isn’t large, it won’t take long—I plan to finish within two to two and a half million characters, over a million less than my last book.

·

Let me talk about some reader feedback so far.

Chen Yan resembles the Chen Xiaohe from my last book—in terms of being a schemer, the two characters share similarities.

Add that both share the surname Chen, and that my last book ended and this one began with consecutive releases, so some readers can’t shake off the impression from the last one.

But if you keep reading, you’ll see the differences are quite significant.

The biggest difference is that Chen Yan is, in character, colder than Chen Xiaohe from the last book.

Chen Xiaohe was someone who longed for warmth.

Chen Yan is fundamentally cold—he doesn’t want any warmth or familial affection; the old grandma is the only thing tying him to this world. Aside from her, he’s emotionally closed off.

Because people who’ve been hurt are different.

Someone who grew up without parents, raised by his grandmother, faces discrimination from society and the world around him from childhood onward.

So his heart is cold; he views the world with detached eyes.

So far, none of the characters who’ve appeared have reached his heart.

Gu Xiaoniang hasn’t—she’s just a business partnership: Chen Yan helps her complete a ghost marriage, and she becomes his patron.

Even Lu Sisi, Chen Yan hasn’t truly fallen for her—it’s merely the natural attraction a young man feels toward a beautiful woman.

So when the two went on a date at the commercial street near Mount Qixia, Lu Sisi looked at Chen Yan with stars in her eyes, while Chen Yan…

His gaze wasn’t on Lu Sisi at all.

Like a young man who doesn’t understand love, he simply stumbled into closeness with a girl due to innate attraction.

Love… this thing, hasn’t stirred in Chen Yan yet.

The old grandma taught him many things—how to live, how to behave—but she couldn’t teach him 【emotion】.

And Chen Yan appears more mature than his peers, more hardened.

This is a trait only someone who grew up without parents, endured years of bullying and discrimination, would possess.

On this point, Chen Xiaohe from the last book was different.

Chen Xiaohe carried the swagger and effortless confidence of a top-tier master.

Chen Yan is just a cold young man who got a bit of fortune, curious and cautious, trying to carve out a path for himself, one small step at a time.

·

Gu Xiaoniang isn’t Lu Xixi, Lu Sisi isn’t Sun Keke—rest assured, I still have some skill in character creation.

So far, this book’s worldbuilding hasn’t been fully revealed—the domain’s scroll has only been unrolled a corner.

Just watch how I tell you this story!

·

It goes live at midnight tonight—please support the official subscription.

Especially the first-day subscription numbers after launch—they’re crucial to the book’s success; if you can support, please do!

·

PS: I won’t be competing on the February monthly vote chart—I already posted a separate note. This book will be written for one year to rebuild my reputation. Until I’ve repaired my credibility and earned your satisfaction, I won’t chase the monthly vote rankings.

I’m not worthy of your monthly votes yet.

Supporting the subscription, especially the first-day numbers, is already a huge support for me!

See you all at midnight sharp.

—Dancing