CH 121

With this kind of treatment, what more shoulder kneading do I need?

Chu Ge realized that Qiu Wuji was stubborn with a thick face. If you ask her for a shoulder massage, don’t expect her to ever give you one in your lifetime. But if you don’t say anything, she will naturally take care of you in subtle ways, letting you experience the tenderness of an older sister.

That’s the effect of her inherent qualities as a good wife and mother.

As long as you don’t challenge her thick skin and wait for her to naturally show her care…

In other words, she wasn’t really angry about today’s hug. On the contrary, she felt a bit sorry for hurting him with a nudge?

Chu Ge truly felt like he was floating in the clouds, unaware of the world.

Forget about mental exhaustion. Even if his mind was numb, he still had to answer Qiu Qiu’s question!

“Your question is related to writing skills. Experts can make daily trivial matters interesting or create a sense of artistic beauty, while ordinary people’s writing may be dull. It’s not something that can be quickly taught in a few sentences, and even I am not that good in this aspect.” Chu Ge said, “But if you’re interested in improving in this area, you can start by reading some works by famous writers, such as Zhu Ziqing and Wang Zengqi. Within their plain words, you can find true charm.”

Qiu Wuji asked, “Is it about writing skills?”

“It is about writing skills, but not entirely. Some sentences may not be beautiful, but they can accurately touch our hearts. That’s the power of words. Even when simply describing a father’s figure, Zhu Ziqing can deeply move people, while I can only borrow from his ideas.”

Qiu Wuji nodded. Although she didn’t know Zhu Ziqing, she understood the meaning.

When writing about the same thing, she noticed that there was a difference between what she wrote and what the renowned female author wrote. The author didn’t use any special language, but the effect was different. It was a matter of skill.

In fact, it was similar to writing poetry or prose. Some verses didn’t have any flowery language, yet a simple sentence could be passed down through the ages.

She didn’t have any regrets about not being able to achieve quick mastery. Instead, she had a feeling that it was supposed to be this way. Some things required years of practice and couldn’t be achieved overnight, just like Chu Ge’s cultivation.

Qiu Wuji actually thought Chu Ge was quite impressive. No wonder he could construct their world. He could answer any question and effortlessly provide allusions and examples. It was evident that he had a wealth of knowledge. Indeed, my chosen master, Qiu Wuji thought, is the most formidable. Who needs the old scholar, Kuzhai?

She relaxed and chuckled, “I was too impatient, thinking I could learn everything as a newcomer… I should read and learn more. Should I skip this section for now?”

“Yes, you can skip it. After all, your work doesn’t necessarily require a complete novel. It’s more like a side story, and in theory, even if you write it as a standalone unit, it would be fine. You can skip some less important parts, and no one will mind.” At this point, Chu Ge paused for a moment and chuckled, “I look forward to the day when you build your own complete world.”

After they finished teaching each other, Qiu Wuji suddenly realized that she had been massaging his temples. Her face turned slightly red, and she casually stopped, pretending nothing had happened. “Shall we go eat? Let’s eat out today.”

Chu Ge sighed with a hint of regret. He still lacked the courage to lean his head back. That would be truly “floating in the clouds.”

Unfortunately, he didn’t dare…

It’s alright, there will be a day!

Chu Ge stood up resolutely. “I’ve been thinking, have you ever tried KFC or McDonald’s? How about giving it a try today?”

Qiu Wuji often looked forward to the food Chu Ge introduced, and she smiled and said, “Sure, let’s give it a try.”

……….

Going from eating beef noodles that cost a dozen yuan to McDonald’s meals that cost several tens of yuan represented Chu Ge’s current wealth and extravagance. Although he couldn’t even afford a restroom.

Not to mention, despite often criticizing fast food as junk and feeling that it’s unhealthy to eat too much, occasionally having a meal like this, it tasted quite good.

“The food is just average.” Qiu Wuji gnawed on the chicken leg and commented, “I saw people selling chicken at the market and realized that chickens nowadays can be categorized as either good or not-so-good. Some may look fine on the outside, but they’re actually weak and insubstantial, just like you were before.”

Chu Ge: “?”

With her mouth full of grease, Qiu Wuji continued, “This chicken definitely didn’t eat good grains and wasn’t raised in a free-range manner… Its nutritional value is relatively poor…”

Chu Ge couldn’t help but laugh and cry, “But you seem to be enjoying your meal.”

Qiu Wuji replied, “As long as it tastes good.”

“By the way, are you paying attention to nutrition now?”

“I’ve been paying attention from the beginning. Haven’t you noticed that your meals are all nutritionally balanced?” Qiu Wuji waved the chicken leg and felt a bit proud, “Your cultivation requires a lot of energy involvement, and it needs to be balanced. Our concept of energy and the concept of nutrition in this world actually lead to the same result.”

“No wonder my cultivation has been going smoothly. Is it related to this?”

“Of course it’s related!” Qiu Wuji continued waving the chicken leg, “When I go to the market, I can tell which things are good or not. The vegetables I buy for you are always the best!”

Chu Ge couldn’t help but find her “please praise me” expression quite amusing, so he quickly praised her, “My Qiu Qiu is definitely the best.”

The chicken leg froze in mid-air, and Qiu Wuji looked left and right, annoyed as she said, “Who is your Qiu Qiu! I’m just a poor assistant who is forced to cook by a malicious boss, harassed and teased without pay.”

Chu Ge almost sprayed the cola out of his mouth.

“Hey, aren’t those two the couple from the beach in early autumn?” a girl’s voice came from beside them.

They turned their heads and saw several excited college girls pointing and discussing nearby. When they noticed Chu Ge and Qiu Wuji looking at them, the girls approached fearlessly. “It’s really them! We’ve seen the real people. It wasn’t staged at all, they’re always like that!”

Chu Ge and Qiu Wuji looked at each other, astonished. How did things escalate to this point? Are they being recognized just from eating at McDonald’s?

One of the girls excitedly exclaimed, “I knew it was the local beach food stall! I’ve been there before. They are indeed Nanjiang locals.”

“They even posted pictures of that stall on Dianping. How come you’re only finding out now?”

Chu Ge suddenly realized that it wasn’t about his popularity in general but rather within the local area. But even so, it was quite exaggerated. How did the news spread so quickly in just a few days?

“Excuse me, can we take a photo with you?” one of the girls eagerly asked while pulling out her phone. “It will help me gain followers on Weibo…”

Chu Ge felt helpless. “Hey, young lady, what benefits do I get from you gaining followers using my photo?”

The girl pouted and whined, “I don’t have any money…”

Chu Ge was about to refuse when Qiu Wuji, with a mischievous smile, said, “Taking photos is fine. At the same time, let’s promote our novel.”

The girl happily agreed, “No problem!”

After taking the photos, the girl left with joy. Chu Ge curiously touched his ear and asked Qiu Wuji, “How did you start managing all of this?”

Qiu Wuji smiled and said, “I’m your manager, right?”

“Well, being a manager is just a title… I feel awkward about this kind of management. Readers should focus on the work itself…”

“You’re so bookish.” Qiu Wuji said, “This isn’t some unethical operation. What’s there to feel awkward about? I’m not bothered by people’s gossip, and you’re already getting worked up about it.”

Chu Ge: “…”

Qiu Wuji’s expression became more serious, and she lowered her voice. “Chu Ge, we need to create a sense of existence of that world. It’s not just about making money to survive based on our current achievements.”

Chu Ge’s heart skipped a beat, and his back involuntarily straightened a bit. He composed himself and said, “Yes, I understand.”

Qiu Wuji leaned back in her chair, picked up her cola, and took a sip. “Chu Da, maybe you haven’t paid attention to the backstage performance… Do you know how many pre-orders this wave brought in?”

Chu Ge shook his head.

Qiu Wuji opened the novel’s app and scrolled to the bestseller list. She turned the screen towards Chu Ge to show him. He stared blankly at the titles of the top ten best-selling books, unsure of his own emotions for a while.

Top ten again?

Qiu Wuji took back her phone, continued sipping her cola, and muttered, “What’s there to be happy about being in the top ten? In my heart, you should be number one.”

Seeing Chu Ge’s puzzled expression, Qiu Wuji turned her head and added, “I mean, in my world, you should be number one. It’s not about your skill level.”