Yan Liusheng's Thoughts
The more Yan Liusheng read Dream of the Red Chamber, the more delighted he became, and the more engrossed he grew. When he finished all ten chapters, he suddenly slapped his thigh and cried out several times, "Good... good... good..."
Zhou Yao saw that Yan Liusheng's eyes had never left the manuscript of Dream of the Red Chamber and smiled to himself. No kidding—once Dream of the Red Chamber came out, who knew how many young girls and resentful women shut away in their boudoirs would weep their eyes dry?
Seeing Yan Liusheng's unsatisfied expression, Zhou Yao kept smiling and suddenly coughed several times. But Yan Liusheng was so absorbed in the manuscript of Dream of the Red Chamber that he didn't hear him.
Zhou Yao shook his head, then called loudly, "Boss Yan... Boss Yan... Boss Yan..."
Only after Zhou Yao called three times did Yan Liusheng come to his senses. Embarrassed, he hurriedly apologized to Zhou Yao. "I was so absorbed in reading Dream of the Red Chamber that I didn't hear you calling, Young Master Zhou. Please don't take offense!"
Zhou Yao smiled and replied, "It's all right... it's all right. What do you think of the novel I wrote, Boss Yan? Could your Liusheng Bookshop print and distribute it?"
Hearing Young Master Zhou say this, Yan Liusheng burst into laughter. "Hahaha..."
Then he said with a smile, "You are a man of great talent, Young Master Zhou, to have written a novel like Dream of the Red Chamber. I dare say that the publication of Dream of the Red Chamber will shake the entire literary and fiction worlds of the Great Zhou State—or even those of the whole world."
Hearing this, Zhou Yao laughed inwardly. Of course I know how influential Dream of the Red Chamber is. I don't need Yan Liusheng to tell me that.
Zhou Yao immediately put on a look of shock and delight, then hurriedly said, "You flatter me, Boss Yan. Shake the literary and fiction worlds of the entire Great Zhou State? This is just an ordinary novel I wrote. It couldn't be more ordinary."
Hearing this, Yan Liusheng shook his head. Clearly, Young Master Zhou had yet to realize what kind of impact the Dream of the Red Chamber he had written would have.
Zhou Yao didn't know, but Yan Liusheng ran a bookshop. Having read Dream of the Red Chamber, he knew!
No, I must find a way to get Young Master Zhou Yao to put the publishing and distribution rights to Dream of the Red Chamber firmly in our Liusheng Bookshop's hands.
It's easy to imagine that once Dream of the Red Chamber goes on sale, it will be an extraordinary sensation. That's all gleaming silver!
Once Dream of the Red Chamber becomes a sensation, many bookshops will surely come to Young Master Zhou Yao to discuss the distribution rights for its later chapters. If we don't bind him to our Liusheng Bookshop now, it will be our greatest loss, and I'll regret it for ten thousand years.
And if our Liusheng Bookshop secures all the distribution rights to Dream of the Red Chamber, its success will lift us as a rising tide lifts boats. Our bookshop will become famous throughout the Great Zhou State. When that time comes, hahaha...
Fame and fortune—just thinking about them makes me happy. Hahaha...
But the most important thing right now is how to persuade Young Master Zhou Yao to hand over all the distribution rights to Dream of the Red Chamber to our Liusheng Bookshop. That's the matter of first importance.
Yan Liusheng knew full well that you couldn't catch a wolf if you couldn't bear to part with your child. Only by giving up some of the profits and letting Young Master Zhou Yao earn plenty could he firmly bind him to the Liusheng Bookshop's boat. With that, Yan Liusheng had a plan in mind.
Yan Liusheng smiled and said, "Young Master Zhou, the novel you wrote, Dream of the Red Chamber, is a good book. Our Liusheng Bookshop would like exclusive distribution rights to it. What do you think?"
"Your Liusheng Bookshop wants exclusive distribution rights to Dream of the Red Chamber?"
"Yes, Young Master Zhou. Do you think our Liusheng Bookshop would be suitable?" Yan Liusheng asked cautiously.
After speaking, Yan Liusheng watched Young Master Zhou Yao's expression. Seeing his brows knitted tightly and his face serious, Yan Liusheng grew extremely nervous.
Zhou Yao pretended to consider it for a moment, then slowly said, "Well, it's not impossible. But if I give Dream of the Red Chamber to your Liusheng Bookshop, how would the profits be divided?"