CH 85

With this goal in mind, and full of energy, I started working really hard on improving my writing.

I just kept writing, and eventually finished my fourth manuscript, and I thought I was doing well, but it was denied.

I was surprised that it didn’t go through, even though I felt like I had improved. Lin Yin Yin was not surprised, she even laughed.

I said why didn't I pass? Lin Yin Yin coughed and pretended to be mature: "Nowadays, society is changing day by day, and not many people read magazines anymore. To have a stable following, you have to be innovative, your four manuscripts are all a bit similar in plot, and the editor told you to hone in on your own style again and create something new instead of something similar to before."

No way, who is this editor? Are all editors really that strict? I accepted my loss, but asked: "Then how would I improve? Isn't this a normal love story that would happen at school?"

She smiled smugly: "That's where your skills are not good enough. The editor said that your character's personalities are too similar to each other, so it doesn't feel fresh, and you need to observe what kind of personality a real girl has, and then think of something exciting to do with it."

I pondered, but realized the editor's words were right. I then scanned my surroundings and then fixed my eyes on Lin Yin Yin, who asked: "What are you looking at me for?"

I stared at her for a moment, then got excited: "I've just had a grandulous revelation, watch me create an amazing girl!"

I was so stupid that I just used Qin Lan as reference for all my heroines, but now, in every other draft I can just refer to real people like Yang Han Lu, that one art committee member, and Lin Yin Yin, the class president.

I spent two days creating a unique essay, and then excitedly showed it to Lin Yin Yin.

The more she looked at it, the more her face looked askew, but then she started reading it out loud: "As she fell off the table and almost flattened me like a pancake...... little feet were very swollen, as I carried her ...... bastard, you are not going to write about me!"

I tried begging: "Ah, can you please let me use you as inspiration? It's not actually you."

She was angry and ashamed, a slap on the table: "Then why do I have a crush on you! Go to hell!"

I still tried begging: "I'm going to be innovative this time, so I won't write about passionate love, it's unrequited love that would make people remember this for a long time so that maybe I can even write a sequel."

Lin Yin Yin was very angry and was turning red, and she was jumping up and down: "No way! Change it, change it to you have a crush on me!"

I said how would I do that? A girl having a crush on a guy is romantic, but a guy with a crush on a girl is weird and he'll be called a wimp.

She was about to explode, I held her shoulders as softly as possible: "Class president, please be my heroine."

She was stunned, then her eyelashes blinked gently and her eyes moved away: "Then at least make me a little taller... can't just be one meter five......"

I said but it'd be cute, and the male readers would like it. She puffed up again and hummed, but then accepted it: "Fine, I'll take it to the editor!"

I remembered one more thing: "Oh, I forgot to write about your tiger canines, that would be more appealing, I'll need to change it."

She was mortified and forbade me to change it, which is no good, it must be perfect. So I forcefully changed it, she gritted her teeth and stared at me, and every now and then screamed, startling the class.

Then after I finally finished changing it, she pouted and went home with it.

That afternoon I was a bit impatient and worried that I wouldn't be able to make it. When I went to my evening classes, I saw Lin Yin Yin was already there.

I saw her face scrunched up, and I couldn't help and couldn't help but feel like my heart had been crushed, I didn't pass? I was sad for a moment, and Lin Yin Yin came over to look at me and reluctantly spoke: "You did it."

I almost couldn't help but laugh out loud, and then complained: "Your horrible face scared me to death."

She stomped her foot: "Who told you to write like that, my editor asked if the heroine was me, and I was laughed at."

I said your editor still knows you that well? She turned smug: "A few years ago, I went to a conference and met them there, so of course we’d know each other."

Damn, I said you must've tricked them or something, are you the only kid who they look after? She hummed at me: "Who are you calling a kid! Anyways, there are a decent amount of people who do the same thing you do, and they try writing a love story.”

I'm amazed, very amazed, hopefully they won't be writing as good as I have, but it seems I have to work harder.

I thanked her, she grimaced and opened her mouth: "Tomorrow try getting a credit card or something, so that you get the money immediately, and don't forget to send back the contract, signed."

I said yes, but I don't know what to do so you'd need help. She rolled her eyes: "Who else would you call if I wasn't here to help you? I'm the only one who's this kind, hey, I'm so kind."

I let out a laugh and was happy all night. Then it was Friday, which went by so fast that I didn't even notice.

And Friday went smoothly, we got a lot of things done. After school in the afternoon, Lin Yin Yin took me to get a credit card, I already had an ID so getting it was easy.

But then there was a lot of fussing, and I printed the contract and sent it straight to the post office.

I thought that was it for today, but Lin Yin Yin asked me to go to her house.

I said why are we going? She said: "To meet up with other writers and get acquainted with them."

It sounded like a good idea, so I went along with her. When I arrived at her house, she first looked around to make sure her father was not home before taking me in.

Ah Li and the loli weren't home either, I guess they went home or something, after all, they had to take care of the old man at their place.

Then I went with Lin Yin Yin to her bedroom. She slammed the door shut and turned on the computer.

I stood next to her and watched. She logged on to her QQ, and then told me to log on to my QQ to join the group.

There were more than 300 people in the group, and it would appear that they were all girls, Lin Yin Yin talked to our editor first and then afterwards let me talk to her: "Say hello to her, everyone is very welcoming."

I'm not very good at this stuff, after all, I'm not familiar with QQ. Then I saw someone in that group send a message: Welcome, Xiao-Chenchen.

That's probably the mysterious editor, but I spat some blood and turned my head to ask Lin Yin Yin: "Why am I Xiao-ChenChen?"

She held back her laughter: "I helped you pick a pen name, it sounds good, right? Your articles are all under this pen name."

I'm fucked, this chick really wants to kill me, damn, Xiao-ChenChen...... that's too shameful.

But the people in the group did not seem to care, one after another,  they each sent a message: Welcome welcome, is he handsome?

Wow, so welcoming...?

I tried to type fast, and look meticulously for each letter one by one with my head down, and Lin Yin Yin made sure to point this out: “You really can’t type? Do you really need to look for each letter?”

I said yes, she looked anxious, and since those people were waiting for my response, Lin Yin Yin kicked me off the chair and said: "Just speak, I'll type for you."

I said: "Hello everyone, please take care of me in the future."

She gave me a blank look and typed it, the group was really kind, but it seemed that many people were asking if I really was a man.

I was puzzled, why are they doing that? Lin Yin Yin explained: "Ninety percent of the group are women, so it's rare to see a guy."

I suddenly felt like I had entered a dangerous area.

Lin Yin Yin has taken it upon herself to reply for me: It's a guy, but he's not handsome, so don't get excited.

The group of people got excited, and one after another said that the man must be handsome, and to hurry up and send a photo.

I feel like my view on these people has totally changed. Weren’t these authors or something? And plus why are you so rude? But since they’re kind and welcoming, it’s pretty peaceful here and relaxing, so it’s a pretty nice place here.

As I was chatting with the group, and getting familiar with them, out of the blue, someone had said: “Hehe, newcomers should be working on their manuscripts, everyone, you shouldn’t be wasting your time and should learn from Miss Yin Yin, she is so diligent.

That was a strange thing to say, and as soon as that person spoke, the group fell silent. Lin Yin Yin grunted: "This Yin Yang person is always like this!"

She then used her own account to speak: Guzhuang Shaonu, did your draft not do well again? 

This just made the other person mad: You're so high and mighty, did I provoke you?

What the hell is going on? Why are they fighting here? And Lin Yin Yin is usually very kind, and she is usually nonchalant, I guess she actually doesn't like this person.

Finally the editor appeared: You should all start writing, don't be lazy.

The group was completely silent, Lin Yin Yin face turned dark: "That guy is always looking for a fight, I think she's like this because I surpassed her."

I said I'm convinced that she was jealous too. Lin Yin Yin was a little bored: “She always acts like that, and it annoys me a lot. And when we all meet up together, she even acts like that, and annoys me even more.”

I said when I go there too, I will help you deal with her. She then rejoiced, and then laughed at me: "You'd need to wait another ten years."

I squinted: "I'll pass you this year!

The next few days I focused on writing my manuscript, Lin Yin Yin said that generally after writing more than ten articles you can write medium-length stories, then I would not have to work so hard, and that it'd take half a year to write a novel.

This is good, now I am even more motivated.

For two months, I was working on my manuscript and nothing interesting happened. I occasionally go and see Li Xin, maybe buy her something, then she’d be very happy, I would also be very happy, but as time passes, I'm a little anxious.

Now that it is winter, my parents might be coming back at the end of the semester, and make Li Xin work somewhere else. And they said before that they would make her work at our father’s friend’s place and the money she’d earn would go to our parents, ah this is really exhausting.

This time I don't want to, I hope to take my sister to have a good time during the winter holidays, she has never been out to have fun in the past ten years.

So saving money is imperative, sending my manuscript, and it got returned for revision, I was given the cons of the draft, and I am also becoming more and more skilled, but still earning very little money ah, I'm still being paid the least. I'd write 10,000 words and only get paid 500 yuan, which wouldn't even last for half a year of food only, it's very tiring.

But in order for my sister to have a comfortable winter vacation I am very desperate, this winter vacation I must take her to do something, and cannot ever let her work a job.

Translator Notes: Thats all for todayyyyyy, so things have certainly calmed down for now, and MC got signed in with a booking/magazine company of some sorts, and is working for money buuuuut now we gotta earn moneys so that Li Xin can relax, but until next time everyone gooodbyeeeeeee- actually scratch that aaaaa, i think i set 84 to private so no one could even see that aaaa my mistake eveyone but sorry if you weren't able to see it...... okay gbye for real byebyeee