Chapter 38

Geng Zhi watched Feng Bo go from humble and polite to putting on airs, feeling angry but unable to stop him.

He had been in the industry for three years and knew well that many authors had tempers. Feng Bo's attitude was very likely to annoy that "Seven-Inch Blade" and cause unpredictable consequences.

But when Feng Bo said "You are really a high school student," Geng Zhi was struck by lightning and was shocked to the point of being unable to speak.

Many details in his brain finally connected, making him understand why Feng Bo would rob his author and why Sister Xu could see through it at a glance.

There is a common saying in the industry—editors make authors, and authors make editors.

A thousand-li horse is hard to meet, and a Bole (talent scout) is also hard to seek.

The birth of many great writers is accompanied by the birth of a Bole with a discerning eye.

Some gold-medal editors known to Geng Zhi have the qualifications of "guiding and promoting" many excellent writers.

When sitting together for a discussion, some editors would proudly talk eloquently: "When I met xxx back then, his writing was still very green. It was I who gave him confidence, guidance, and help... achieving each other."

Listen, listen, I have guided great writers! Doesn't this level go up all at once?

This kind of low-key showing off is the desire of every small editor.

Every ambitious editor hopes to encounter a small green dragon in its infancy, and after careful training, walk together to the clouds.

Feng Bo undoubtedly had ambition, but his qualifications were too shallow. If he were really given an excellent author now... could he train them?

But a high school student is different!

When Geng Zhi received the manuscript of *Lurking*, the author's pen name was Seven-Inch Blade, but the contact address was Li Ye, Remedial Class 1, Qingshui County No. 2 Middle School.

At that time, Geng Zhi subconsciously thought that this Li Ye was a teacher at No. 2 Middle School.

But now he realized that if the other party were a teacher, he shouldn't have indicated the class.

But Geng Zhi didn't expect that others might not have realized that this Seven-Inch Blade could be a student.

For example, Deputy Editor-in-Chief Lu, Feng Bo, and Sister Xu.

Training a student with great potential and stepping on the student's shoulders to get ahead looked like a path to the clouds that could be picked up for nothing.

Feng Bo quickly took paper and pen, asking questions to Seven-Inch Blade on the other end of the phone while recording rapidly.

"We must verify some things now. Your real name is Li Ye, right? How old are you this year? Is this *Lurking* a work you completed alone..."

"There are still big problems with this novel of yours. We need you to bring the full manuscript over, and after our guidance and strict modification, it may be published normally..."

A question came from the other end of the phone: "Then may I ask, if your publishing house wants to guide me to change the manuscript, then who will guide me?"

Feng Bo's eyes fluctuated, and he relaxed his tone: "The agency has decided after research that I will contact you for the time being. I am a graduate of xx University and have sufficient literary foundation..."

".........."

"How is my royalty calculated?"

"You student, why are you only thinking about royalties? Literature is noble, literature is rigorous, you still need to learn more... Hello? Speaking... Hello hello..."

【Worthy of being a college student, impressed, impressed... ruined a perfectly good performance.】

Geng Zhi looked at Feng Bo, who suddenly became impatient, and suddenly wanted to laugh.

Listening to Feng Bo's precise and heart-piercing questions, clearly, the other party's meticulous thinking and exquisite strategy were far above his own.

But why are you in such a hurry as a newcomer who hasn't been in the industry for many days?

Don't look at those gold-medal editors who are infinitely glorious; the excellent authors in their hands were also guided one by one with all their efforts.

You, Feng Bo, are not a well-known editor, and you still expect people to bow down to you?

Did you really think that because the other party, Seven-Inch Blade, is young, you could handle them?

"Hello? Hello? Speak, Li Ye, are you still listening?"

Feng Bo's tone was no longer calm. He seemed to realize that his excessive force might have made the high school student on the opposite side unhappy.

Li Ye was indeed unhappy.

Today he received a letter from the provincial capital and went to the post office to make a phone call with full expectations, thinking he would receive a "warm and friendly" greeting, and then discuss the amount of royalties.

But after the call went through, he felt that he wasn't facing an editor, but a boxing coach, outputting a series of straight, swing, and hook punches at him, and even wanting to collect private coaching fees.

Suddenly, Li Ye had no interest in talking anymore.

Li Ye asked coldly into the phone receiver: "I'm here. Editor Feng, right? I have a question I want to confirm."

Feng Bo pondered for a moment and said: "You can. Our publishing house respects authors very much. If you have any difficulties, you can put them forward."

Li Ye asked: "At the end of my submission, I noted that if your side is interested in publishing, please mail back a contact phone number. So why are you not sure now whether my novel can be published?"

Feng Bo in the provincial capital was unhappy.

You high school student, what kind of attitude is this? Don't you know how to be humble?

So he said very unkindly: "Student Li Ye, I think you must have misunderstood our meaning. The reason we mailed back the phone number to you is to give you the opportunity to correct and publish, and we didn't say it would definitely be published."

Li Ye listened silently to Feng Bo's answer and asked word by word: "You just need to tell me whether to publish or not."

Feng Bo also lost his temper and shouted: "I have already said it several times. Your book must go through our further review and modification. I hope you correct your attitude..."

"Then forget it! Please return my submission to me."

"What did you say?"

"Bang~"

Li Ye hung up the phone directly.

Within a few days, he encountered two requests for "guidance."

But this Feng Bo was completely different from Teacher Ke.

When Teacher Ke made requests, she was tactful, implicit, and even... humble.

Li Ye still couldn't forget the look of shame in Teacher Ke's eyes.

After experiencing years of wind and rain, self-improvement and self-respect might be the last precious things in Teacher Ke's heart.

And more importantly, Teacher Ke gave up the idea of "guidance" immediately after knowing that Li Ye was deliberately avoiding sensitive issues. It was Li Ye who took the initiative to send it up.

With Li Ye's experience of seeing countless people in his previous life, he could also foresee that Teacher Ke would definitely give him enough compensation after receiving his help.

But what about this Feng Bo now?

Listen to that tone, look at this shelf... who are you pua-ing?

Did I beg you?

Want to step on my shoulders to become famous?

Get lost!

Li Ye hung up the phone refreshingly, but Feng Bo in the provincial capital was stunned.

He "hello hello hello"-ed at the phone receiver for a long time before realizing that he "seemed" to have made things stiff.

This was like playing stocks. Watching the stocks in his hand rise, hold, hold, don't sell, don't sell... limit down.

Nothing to play with.

The phone now didn't have caller ID, and he didn't know the number if he wanted to call back!

"Heh~"

Geng Zhi, who was just full of anger, was happy. He didn't fight anymore, glanced at Feng Bo, who had wrinkled his eyebrows into a Sichuan character, chuckled, and turned to leave.

Ten minutes later, through the careful dissemination of Geng Zhi, Sister Xu, and others, the rumor that Feng Bo wanted to guide Seven-Inch Blade's writing and was hung up on by the other party spread throughout the entire publishing house.

Then, Feng Bo was dragged into the office by Deputy Editor-in-Chief Lu and given special care.

After coming out, Feng Bo adjusted his mood and dialed the phone to Qingshui County again.

"Hello, is this Qingshui County No. 2 Middle School? I'm looking for Li Ye of Remedial Class 1... Li Ye is not here?

Then please tell him that we have decided to publish his work and ask him to come to the provincial capital immediately to discuss the publication matters with us."

".................."

Principal Chang of Qingshui County No. 2 Middle School put down the phone, looked at Teacher Luo in front of him, and asked again: "In our school, there's only one Li Ye?"

Teacher Luo said affirmatively: "That's right, just one. And I've investigated. Recently, that kid... is indeed acting mysteriously, as if he's writing."

"It can't be 'as if'," Principal Chang waved his hand and said: "We must get to the bottom of this. If it's true, then there must be support."

"Remember, everything is based on the child's wishes, and give him convenient conditions as much as possible..."

"Okay, I understand, Principal."

Li Ye, who was full of anger, wandered around outside. As soon as he came back and entered the classroom, he was collectively stared at by fifty-one pairs of eyes.

A student at the door ran out of the classroom and rushed to Teacher Luo's office. The report of "Li Ye is back" could be heard from tens of meters away.

Teacher Luo walked to the podium with wind in his steps and gave a lecture full of spring breeze.

"Our class's Li Ye student, studying hard and creating secretly... has reached a publication intention with the provincial capital's Dahe Publishing House... Let's congratulate Li Ye student."

Teacher Luo took the lead in applauding, driving a group of dumbfounded classmates to applaud together.

And Li Dayong, who had reacted, clapped his hands until they were red.

After a long time, Teacher Luo on the podium stopped the endless applause and said to Li Ye: "Li Ye, how about coming up and saying a few words about your thoughts?"

Li Ye's face was a bit embarrassed, and he stood up and asked: "Teacher Luo, how do you know Dahe Publishing House agreed to publish my novel?"

Teacher Luo said: "Just now, Dahe Publishing House called our school, clearly expressing their agreement to publish your novel, and asked you to take the full manuscript to the provincial capital as soon as possible!"

".........."

"It's actually a novel? My brother is a writer, my brother is a writer."

Li Dayong was truly happy and deliberately shouted to show off to some people in the front row.

But Li Ye smiled and said: "This... Teacher Luo, a few hours ago, I already refused the publication intention of Dahe Publishing House."

".........."

Everyone was stunned, even Wen Leyu, who knew the inside story best, was stunned. Chapter 39: The Belt That Was Hungry and Thirsty