Chapter 109

“Mm-hmm, go ahead and get busy.”

Takahashi Jun watched Arakaki leave with light steps and a straight back, his heart filled with mixed feelings.

How could he not want to retort as refreshingly as Arakaki?

But having been in the Midnight Publishing House for more than five years, his performance was at the bottom every year, almost becoming a famous “transparent person” and “tail-ender” in the editorial department.

The boss didn’t like him much anyway.

In addition, there were old and young at home, and the monthly mortgage and car loan were like two shackles that were tightening.

Although he signed a lifetime employment contract and wouldn’t be easily dismissed, if he was bumped into by the boss due to a conflict with an author, wouldn’t it be giving him a handle, and more reasons to make things difficult for him?

On the contrary, Arakaki Shoji, although an intern editor, had only been in the job for a few months, but his performance had already rushed to the upper-middle level of the editorial department, and he was a rising star with a bright future in everyone’s eyes.

Good performance naturally gives confidence, and occasionally being sharp in words is not cared about by anyone, and is even regarded as “having personality”.

But he can’t...

Life had long ago smoothed out his edges, and swallowing his anger had almost become Takahashi Jun’s survival instinct engraved in his bones.

He sighed imperceptibly, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the worn-out peeling trace on the edge of his notebook.

Forget it, just being scolded by an author is better than being scolded by the boss...

Seeing that this frustrating interview was finally over, Takahashi Jun dragged his somewhat heavy steps back to the open editorial office area.

As soon as he stepped into the area, the more senior and better-performing editor Yoshida Tomohito stood up with a smile, put his arm around his shoulder, and laughed at the few colleagues who looked up around him, using a volume that was not too loud but just enough for half the office area to hear:

“Hahaha, Takahashi-kun, the movement in the meeting room just now was not small. Being ‘enthusiastically communicated’ by an author again? Could it be you again?”

Takahashi Jun’s face stiffened, wanting to break free, but was held tighter, so he could only smile apologetically.

“Haha... ye-yes.”

Yoshida Tomohito laughed even more heartily, as if he had heard some wonderful joke.

“I knew it was you!”

“It’s really incredible, being retorted once a day, Takahashi-kun. How did you achieve this ‘achievement’?”

“I’ve been in the industry for so many years, and I find you’re really amazing.”

“You can always accurately attract this kind of ‘talented’ author.”

“I’m really curious, what secret do you have to keep encountering this kind of ‘treasure’? Teach me?”

Takahashi Jun broke out in a cold sweat on his forehead and stammered:

“This... this... I-I don’t know either.”

Yoshida Tomohito seemed to hear something even funnier and patted his back.

“You don’t know? You can still encounter them stably and continuously without knowing?”

“It seems you really have a special talent in this regard.”

“If this kind of ‘talent for attracting strange authors’ could be converted into performance, you would definitely be the well-deserved number one in our editorial department!”

Some editors around heard this, and although they felt Yoshida’s words were a bit excessive, a few people couldn’t help but “pfft” and laugh.

Those laughs were like fine needles, stabbing Takahashi Jun’s back.

His face turned pale, and there was more cold sweat on his forehead.

Just at this moment, a cold voice intervened.

“Yoshida-kun, is your work finished? So free to chat with Takahashi?”

The speaker was Takahashi Jun’s boss, the leader of the second editorial group—Miyagi Kazuu.

He sat in the leader’s position, looking over with no expression on his face.

Hearing the sound, Yoshida Tomohito immediately restrained his exaggerated smile and put on a slightly respectful look.

“Haha, boss, I forgot if you didn’t remind me, there’s another author waiting.”

“Thank you for the reminder, boss, I’ll go over now.”

Saying that, he finally let go of Takahashi Jun, tidied up his shirt collar, and walked quickly toward the meeting room.

Takahashi Jun’s tense shoulders relaxed slightly, and with gratitude, he nodded quietly in the direction of Miyagi Kazuu.

Miyagi Kazuu’s expression remained cold, just glanced at him, said nothing, and refocused his attention on the computer screen in front of him.

Getting this silent relief, Takahashi Jun didn’t dare to show much, lowered his head, and walked quickly back to his workstation in the corner, piled with manuscripts waiting to be reviewed.

After sitting down, he moved the mouse to wake up the computer in sleep mode.

Entered the password, and the desktop lit up.

He mechanically processed a few emails from authors asking about progress, and replied with some template-style polite words.

At this time, the company’s internal communication software popped up a new notification.

【The author ‘Natsume Chikage’ you have an appointment with has arrived at the front desk and is waiting in the lobby.】

Takahashi Jun looked at the time in the lower right corner of the screen—3:37 PM.

When a publishing house editor meets an author, it can take thirty or forty minutes, or two or three hours or more.

If it goes well, maybe it can be done before getting off work.

He looked at the name “Natsume Chikage” and prayed silently: I hope this author won’t be like the glasses guy just now, a “hot-tempered” person who is hard to deal with...

Takahashi Jun rubbed his face hard, as if wanting to rub off the bad luck before, and then picked up his usual notebook and a pen, and stood up to walk to the lobby.

Arriving at the spacious and bright reception lobby, Takahashi Jun’s gaze searched subconsciously.

The next moment, his gaze was firmly grabbed by a figure on the sofa in the lobby rest area.

That was a boy wearing a private high school uniform.

Just a side profile was enough to be unforgettable.

Takahashi Jun could swear he had never seen a man with such outstanding looks in reality, even more dazzling than many magazine models.

And at this moment, this boy was being “pestered” by the female editor of the third editorial group—Uda Ayaka, who was known for her good performance and poisonous eyes.

Uda Ayaka’s cheeks were slightly red, she sat on the single sofa on the side of the boy, her body leaning forward slightly, her tone carrying rare enthusiasm.

“Hello, are you here to submit a manuscript?”

The boy—Natsume Chikage nodded slightly.

“Yes.”

Uda Ayaka’s eyes brightened a bit more, and she asked:

“May I ask if you have an appointment in advance?”

“If not, I happen to be free now, I can help you look at the manuscript!”

Natsume Chikage answered calmly.

“Already have an appointment.”

Uda Ayaka was stunned for a moment.

“May I ask which editor you have an appointment with?”

“Takahashi Jun.”

The smile on Uda Ayaka’s face froze for a moment, then a subtle expression flowed out.

“...Him?”

Takahashi Jun only reacted from his daze at this time, realizing that this boy who was dazzling and not like a mortal was actually the author who had an appointment with him.

He hurriedly tidied up the hem of his somewhat wrinkled shirt and walked up quickly, his voice carrying his usual, slightly uncertain hesitation.

“That... may I ask, are you Teacher Natsume Chikage?”

Natsume Chikage turned his head when he heard the sound.

Seeing this middle-aged man with a tired face, somewhat cowardly temperament, and sparse hair in front of him, he nodded.

“I am Natsume Chikage. And you are?”

Takahashi Jun hurriedly squeezed out a smile and bowed slightly.

“I am Takahashi Jun...”

“Since you have arrived, let’s go to the meeting room now...”

“Wait a minute.” Uda Ayaka suddenly stood up, took Takahashi Jun to the side, and lowered her voice, “Senior Takahashi, let’s discuss something. How about giving this author to me?”

Takahashi Jun’s face stiffened, stammering:

“This... this doesn’t quite follow the rules, right? After all, Teacher Natsume made an appointment with me first...”

Uda Ayaka glanced quickly at Natsume Chikage, who was sitting quietly in his original place, a professional sweet smile hanging on her face again, but her voice was even lower.

“Rules are dead, and it’s not like there’s no precedent for editors to transfer authors in the company.”

“Moreover, this author looks so young and is a high school student... the quality of the manuscript might not be ideal. It might take up a lot of your time and end in regret.”

“I happen to be not very busy today, I can help Senior share some.”