But I Already Turned Them Down!

Geng Zhi watched Feng Bo go from courteous and refined to putting on airs. He was furious, yet found it hard to stop him.

He had been in the business for three years and knew full well that many authors had tempers. Feng Bo's attitude could very well anger Seven-Inch Blade and lead to unpredictable consequences.

But when Feng Bo said, "You really are a high school student," Geng Zhi felt as though he had been struck by lightning, too shocked to speak.

The many details in his mind finally linked together, making him understand why Feng Bo had snatched his author, and why Sister Xu had seen through it at a glance.

There was a saying in the industry: editors made authors, and authors made editors too.

A Qianlima was hard to find, and a Bole was just as hard to come by.

The birth of many great writers had been accompanied by the emergence of a Bole with an eye for hidden gems.

The several gold-medal editors Geng Zhi knew all had the credentials of having "guided and promoted" numerous outstanding authors.

Whenever everyone gathered for discussions, certain editors would proudly hold forth: "When I first met XXX, his writing was still very raw. It was I who gave him confidence; my guidance and help made us both."

Listen to that, listen to that—I guided a great writer! Didn't that instantly raise their standing?

That kind of low-key showing off was every junior editor's dream.

Every ambitious editor hoped to encounter a young azure dragon, carefully train it, and then join hands with it on a soaring climb into the blue clouds.

Feng Bo was undoubtedly ambitious, but his experience was too shallow. If he were handed an excellent author now, could he really train them?

But a high school student was different!

When Geng Zhi received the manuscript for "Latent," the author's pen name had been Seven-Inch Blade, but the contact address had read: Li Ye, Retake Class One, Qingshui County No. 2 Middle School.

At the time, Geng Zhi had subconsciously assumed that this Li Ye was a teacher at No. 2 Middle School.

But now he understood that if the other party had been a teacher, he would not have specified a class.

Yet Geng Zhi had not expected that it was not necessarily true that no one else had realized Seven-Inch Blade might be a student.

For example, Deputy Editor-in-Chief Lu. For example, Feng Bo. For example, Sister Xu.

Training a student with enormous potential and climbing to prominence on the student's shoulders—however one looked at it, that was a free road to riding the clouds.

Feng Bo swiftly grabbed paper and pen, questioning Seven-Inch Blade on the other end of the line while rapidly taking notes.

"We need to verify a few things right now. Your real name is Li Ye, correct? How old are you this year? Was 'Latent' completed entirely by you?"

"Your novel still has major problems. You need to bring the full manuscript here. Only after our guidance and rigorous revisions might it be published normally."

A question came from the other end of the line. "Then may I ask, if your publishing house intends to guide me in revising the manuscript, who will be guiding me?"

Feng Bo's eyes flickered. He softened his tone and said, "After discussion, the publishing house has decided that I will handle communications with you for the time being. I graduated from XX University and have a sufficient literary foundation."

"."

"How will my royalties be calculated?"

"Young man, why are you only thinking about royalties? Literature is noble and rigorous. You still need to study much more. Hello? Speak. Hello, hello—"

As expected of a college graduate. Impressive, impressive. He had wrecked a perfectly good achievement.

Watching Feng Bo suddenly grow agitated, Geng Zhi suddenly wanted to laugh.

Listening to Feng Bo's every precise, heart-piercing question, it was clear that the man's meticulousness and clever schemes far surpassed Geng Zhi's.

But you were a newcomer who had only been in the business for a few days. Why were you in such a hurry?

Don't just look at how infinitely glamorous those gold-medal editors were. The outstanding authors in their hands had also been guided one by one with painstaking effort.

You, Feng Bo, weren't some famous editor. Did you expect him to bow his head and submit the moment you appeared?

Did you really think that just because Seven-Inch Blade was young, you could hold him in the palm of your hand?

"Hello? Hello? Say something, Li Ye. Are you still listening?"

Feng Bo's tone was no longer composed. He seemed to realize that he had pushed too hard and might have made the high school student on the other end unhappy.

Li Ye truly was unhappy.

Today, he had received a letter from the provincial capital. Full of anticipation, he had gone to the post office and made the call, expecting a "warm and friendly" greeting followed by a discussion of how much he would be paid.

But after the call connected, he felt that he was not facing an editor, but a boxing coach, unloading straight punches, swings, and hooks at him—and even wanting to charge him for private lessons.

In an instant, Li Ye lost all interest in continuing the conversation.

Li Ye asked coldly into the receiver, "I'm here. Editor Feng, right? There's something I'd like to confirm."

Feng Bo on the other end pondered for a moment, then said, "Certainly. Our publishing house respects authors very much. If you have any difficulties, you may raise them."

Li Ye asked, "At the end of my submission, I stated that if your side intended to publish it, you should mail me a contact number. So why are you now uncertain whether my novel can be published?"

Feng Bo in the provincial capital was displeased.

You were just a high school student. What kind of attitude was that? Didn't you know humility?

So he said rather unpleasantly, "Student Li Ye, I think you have misunderstood what we mean. The reason we mailed you a telephone number was to give you an opportunity to revise your work for publication. We never said we would definitely publish it."

Li Ye silently listened to Feng Bo's answer, then asked word by word, "You only need to tell me whether you will publish it or not."

Feng Bo lost his temper too and shouted, "How many times have I said it? Your book must undergo further review and revision by us. I hope you correct your attitude—"

"Then forget it. Please return my submission to me."

"What did you say?"

Click~

Li Ye directly hung up the phone.

Within just a few days, he had encountered two demands for "guidance."

But this Feng Bo and Teacher Ke were as different as heaven and earth.

When Teacher Ke had made her request, she had been tactful, restrained, even somewhat humble.

Li Ye still could not forget the ashamed look in Teacher Ke's eyes.

After weathering years of wind and rain, self-reliance and self-respect might have been the last precious things left in Teacher Ke's heart.

And more importantly, once Teacher Ke learned that Li Ye had deliberately avoided sensitive issues, she immediately abandoned the idea of "guiding" him. Li Ye had been the one to proactively offer his help instead.

Based on Li Ye's past-life experience of seeing countless kinds of people, he could foresee that after receiving his help, Teacher Ke would definitely compensate him generously.

But what about this Feng Bo?

Listen to that tone. Look at those airs. Who the hell were you trying to PUA?

Did I come begging you?

You wanted to become famous by stepping on my shoulders?

Get lost!

Li Ye had briskly hung up on his end, but Feng Bo in the provincial capital was dumbfounded.

He said "Hello? Hello? Hello?" into the receiver for ages before realizing that he seemed to have made a mess of things.

It was like trading stocks. You watched the stock in your hand climb and climb. Hold it, hold it, don't sell, don't sell. Then it hit limit-down.

Game over.

Phones did not have caller ID now, so even if he wanted to call back, he did not know the number!

"Heh."

Geng Zhi, who had been burning with anger moments ago, felt pleased now. He no longer wanted to fight either. He glanced at Feng Bo, whose furrowed brow had formed the character for river, chuckled, and turned to leave.

Ten minutes later, through the careful spreading of Geng Zhi, Sister Xu, and others, the rumor that Feng Bo had wanted to guide Seven-Inch Blade's writing and had been hung up on spread throughout the entire publishing house.

Then Feng Bo was dragged into Deputy Editor-in-Chief Lu's office and received some private "care."

After coming out, Feng Bo adjusted his emotions and dialed Qingshui County again.

"Hello, is this Qingshui County No. 2 Middle School? I'm looking for Li Ye from Retake Class One. Li Ye isn't there?

Then please tell him that we have decided to publish his work and ask him to immediately come to the provincial capital to discuss publication arrangements with us."

"."

Principal Chang of Qingshui County No. 2 Middle School put down the phone, looked at Teacher Luo before him, and asked again, "There's only one Li Ye at our school?"

Teacher Luo said with certainty, "That's right, only one. And I investigated it—lately, that kid really has been acting mysteriously. It seems like he's been writing."

"It can't merely seem like it." Principal Chang waved a large hand. "We must get to the bottom of this. If it's true, then we must provide whatever support is due."

"Remember, everything must be based on that child's wishes. Give him every possible convenience."

"Understood, Principal."

Still fuming, Li Ye wandered around outside for a while. The moment he returned and entered the classroom, all fifty-one pairs of eyes fixed on him at once.

A student by the door lifted a foot and ran out of the classroom toward Teacher Luo's office. The report of "Li Ye is back!" could be heard from dozens of meters away.

Teacher Luo hurried over with wind in her steps, walked onto the podium, and addressed the class with a face full of springtime warmth.

"Our classmate Li Ye has studied diligently and devoted himself to writing, and has already reached a publication agreement with Dahe Publishing House in the provincial capital. Let us congratulate Li Ye!"

Teacher Luo took the lead in applauding, prompting a group of dumbstruck students to applaud along with her.

Li Dayong, who had recovered his senses, clapped until his palms turned red.

Only after a long while did Teacher Luo on the podium stop the unceasing applause. Then she said to Li Ye, "Li Ye, how about coming up and sharing a few thoughts with everyone?"

Li Ye looked somewhat embarrassed. He stood up and asked, "Teacher Luo, how did you know Dahe Publishing House agreed to publish my novel?"

Teacher Luo said, "Dahe Publishing House just called our school. They clearly stated that they agreed to publish your novel and asked you to bring the full manuscript to the provincial capital as soon as possible!"

"."

"It's actually a novel? My brother is a writer! My brother is a writer!"

Li Dayong was genuinely happy and even deliberately shouted it to show off in front of certain people in the front rows.

But Li Ye smiled and said, "Well... Teacher Luo, a few hours ago, I already turned down Dahe Publishing House's offer to publish it."

"."

Everyone froze, including Wen Leyu, who knew the most about the situation.

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