Chapter 127

Yoshida Tomohito was stunned for a moment, then sneered:

"Ha... I thought you were going to say something, so it's this."

"Do you know why everyone deliberately didn't look at your manuscript?"

He walked two steps closer, his voice full of mockery.

"Because the quality of the manuscripts you've pushed up in the past few years is a mess!"

"Every time we listened to you, the publishing house either lost money or was scolded by bookstores, saying we only sent them garbage!"

"If we believe you again this time, will everyone have to take turns going to the bookstore to bow and apologize again?!"

Takahashi Jun's face turned pale instantly, he wanted to defend himself, the matter was not like that at all!

The novels he passed didn't explode, but they weren't all losses either.

Those two books that really caused losses and brought bookstore scolding were clearly when Yoshida Tomohito's signing quota was full, he swore and begged him, touted those two books as must-have hits, and forced them into his hands, making him convince everyone to pass them!

Why... why are you saying it like this now...

He wanted to retort, but his lips were trembling, and his clumsy tongue was completely paralyzed in urgency and grievance.

Other editors also remembered the two unpleasant experiences, and cast suspicious gazes one after another.

"This... there is indeed such a thing."

"I don't want to be scolded again..."

"I still remember the scene of being pointed at and scolded last time."

Yoshida Tomohito smiled:

"Look, it's not just me saying it, right?"

He walked to Takahashi Jun's side, patted the other's shoulder, and narrowed his eyes.

"Sigh, you, why do you have to do this kind of thing that wastes everyone's time?"

"Busy all day, everyone wants to go home happily and rest. Being disturbed by you like this, everyone's mood has become bad."

"However, considering we are colleagues, I won't say much, you take care of yourself."

Looking at everyone's suspicious, impatient, and even disgusted gazes, Takahashi Jun's face was pale to the point of transparency, his lips trembling, unable to say a complete sentence:

"No... it's not like that... ev, everyone..."

Yoshida Tomohito patted his shoulder hard again.

"Alright, alright, stop talking. Go back and rest."

After saying that, he took the lead and walked toward the door.

Other editors also stood up one after another, preparing to leave.

Looking at this scene, Takahashi Jun's eyes went dark, despair soaked his limbs like ice water, and he almost cried on the spot.

However, his wife's always trusting eyes, his daughter bowing to relatives to make up tuition fees, and Xia Xia Xia Mujun's trust in choosing him without hesitation... these images flashed one after another.

The next second, under everyone's astonished gaze, Takahashi Jun rushed to the door of the meeting room, "thumped" and knelt on both knees, blocking everyone's way with his body!

He used the last strength of his life to shout hoarsely, choked, and almost crying blood:

"I—I am willing to bet my entire career!!!"

"I guarantee with my personality, my future, and everything I have—the quality of *The Devotion of Suspect X* is absolutely far beyond everyone's imagination!"

"It is absolutely the best suspense and mystery novel everyone has seen in these few years!!!"

"Please... you must believe me this time... you must take a look... you must take a look... woo woo woo!!!"

"Really, please, everyone..."

Looking at Takahashi Jun kneeling on the ground, blocking the way, Yoshida Tomohito let out a cold laugh from his nose:

"*The Devotion of Suspect X*? Just hearing this book title, it looks like a flop!"

"Besides, just based on your 'unique' vision before, it's really hard to convince people."

"Anyway, I won't look at it, whoever wants to look, look."

He said, lifting his foot to walk around Takahashi Jun, but stopped as if suddenly remembering something, and exhorted:

"Oh right, even if others are blind and think it can pass, and this book is really signed, you must never count this book's 'joint performance' as my share."

"I don't want to be like the previous two times, because of some people's 'vision', and have to apologize humbly everywhere, causing trouble."

"This mosquito-leg-like performance, whoever wants to touch it, touch it, anyway, I, Yoshida Tomohito, don't, need, it."

Hearing this, other editors remembered the two unpleasant experiences, and no one wanted to be implicated again and bear the bookstore owner's anger.

They echoed in a low voice, one by one turned sideways, quickly walked around Takahashi Jun who was still kneeling on the ground holding the manuscript, and left the editorial room in a hurry.

At Shinya Publishing, besides the core personal performance commission, editors indeed had a small part coming from the group's "joint performance"—that is, a small amount allocated from the group's total performance, divided equally among every member.

This money wasn't much, like chicken ribs, but it also meant sharing honor and disgrace with the group, needing to bear part of the joint responsibility for colleagues' failures.

Looking at the cold backs of colleagues leaving one after another, Takahashi Jun felt the last bit of strength being drained.

Huge despair drowned him, guilt for his family, and breaking his promise to Xia Xia Xia Mujun turned into hot tears.

He couldn't support himself anymore, his forehead pressed against the cold floor, making suppressed and broken sobs.

When the last footsteps faded away, the editorial room returned to silence.

In the huge room, only three people were left—Takahashi Jun who was still kneeling and crying, leader Miyagi Kazuu who had been watching the changes, and apprentice editor Niigaki Shoji who had never left.

Niigaki Shoji stepped forward quickly, pulling Takahashi Jun up hard, his voice sincere and powerful:

"Senior Takahashi, please stand up! Since the day I entered the industry, I have never doubted your vision!"

"You might not remember... many years ago, I was also a rookie author who didn't know the height of the sky and the depth of the earth, and I submitted a manuscript to you."

"Although my manuscript was eventually rejected by you, the reply letter you wrote to me at that time—those few sentences—'Your story core is very powerful, but it hasn't found the most suitable form yet. Please continue writing, and please continue reading, your vision will become unique in tempering.'—until today, it is still deeply inspiring me!"

"It can be said that if it weren't for your encouragement and guidance at that time, I wouldn't have embarked on the path of an editor at all, let alone stand here!"

"So, please let me read this *The Devotion of Suspect X*!"

Hearing this, Takahashi Jun was full of unbelievable gratitude in his teary eyes, his lips trembling:

"Th, thank you... Niigaki-kun..."

Just then, leader Miyagi Kazuu, who had been sitting firmly like a mountain, knocked on the table with his knuckles and said lightly:

"Niigaki-kun, go make a copy of the manuscript for me."

Takahashi Jun looked up abruptly, looking at the leader in astonishment.

In his long, dark career, this leader had almost never given him any other expression except for severe criticism and disappointed sighs.

At this moment, the leader actually took the initiative to read the manuscript?

"Leader... you are... why?" he asked stammeringly.

Miyagi Kazuu frowned, his sharp gaze looking straight at him:

"Do you know why your performance has been at the bottom for the past few years, but I have never transferred or dismissed you?"

Takahashi Jun's face turned pale, shaking his head blankly.

"I... don't know."

"Because I have never doubted your 'intuition' for picking stories."

Miyagi Kazuu's voice was not high, but every word was clear.

"I know even better that those two failed works that made you and the whole group ashamed and caused losses were simply because Yoshida Tomohito's quota was full, he forced them into your hands, and used flowery words to coax you, instigating you to strongly recommend them to everyone."

Takahashi Jun was completely stunned, as if struck by a bolt of lightning.

The leader... actually knew the truth all along?

Niigaki Shoji on the side also showed an astonished expression, asking the confusion in his heart for Takahashi Jun:

"Since you knew the truth, leader, why did you never come forward to clarify for Senior Takahashi?"

Miyagi Kazuu snorted coldly, his tone severe:

"Clarify? A person who doesn't even dare to defend himself, only knows how to accept it passively, why expect others to stand up for him?"

"Opportunity is always earned by yourself, not given by others! Today, if it weren't for you, Takahashi Jun, having the courage for the first time to risk everything to fight for it, I wouldn't even have the interest to read this manuscript!"

"Even if a pie falls from the sky, if you don't reach out to catch it, it will only hit someone else's head. If you don't understand this truth, you deserve to be a tail-ender for the rest of your life!"

These words were like a heavy hammer, knocking on Takahashi Jun's heart.

He fell into a long trance, chewing on every word.

Niigaki Shoji was also deeply moved and fell into deep thought.

Miyagi Kazuu looked at his watch and restored his official tone.

"I have limited time, go copy the manuscript quickly."