Speak of Monsters, and a Ghost Appears

Teacher Ke had suddenly changed her mind and refused to put her name on Latent because Wen Leyu had given her the manuscript of a new novel the night before.

Back when Wen Leyu had wanted to learn novel writing from Li Ye, Li Ye had chosen a "co-creation" approach for real-time instruction and asked Wen Leyu to provide the story background and character material for the new novel.

Naturally, Teacher Ke had provided the material, and on the very day she did, she had started writing herself.

She wanted to test her own abilities and see whether she could write a novel like Latent.

Teacher Ke had her own pride. She was no outsider to literary writing, either. With Li Ye's Latent as a reference, she had believed she could write something with at least a little substance.

Teacher Ke's writing had gone fairly smoothly. After all, she had been a university student in the sixties and had even published literary works before. Her command of language was beyond question.

Moreover, among the material she had prepared, the stories behind many character prototypes had been told to her by the elders in her family. Putting them into words now was merely a matter of dramatizing them.

Teacher Ke wrote more and more smoothly, quickly producing what looked like a fairly good opening.

After reading it over several times, she had even grown a little smugly confident. She had planned to show it to Li Ye in a few days and "learn from each other."

Co-creation, after all! Of course both parties had to contribute.

But unfortunately, before Teacher Ke could give her manuscript to Li Ye, Wen Leyu brought Li Ye's manuscript over instead.

After reading it, Teacher Ke had sat through another whole night, just as she had when she first saw the manuscript of Latent.

When people were compared, one died of envy; when goods were compared, one got thrown away.

The same character material, the same story background, yet the works produced were entirely different things.

If she absolutely had to compare them, Teacher Ke's story was like a pot of vegetables stewed haphazardly in salt water—bland and tasteless, barely enough to fill the stomach.

Li Ye's story, meanwhile, was a sizzling feast of meat and vegetables, complete in color, aroma, flavor, and nutrition.

All the missing seasonings and cooking techniques were Li Ye's own private additions.

Teacher Ke's story was really a "ledger novel," with graceful prose but a thin plot, while Li Ye's story was a true literary novel with a rich, full-bodied plot.

As the sky outside the window gradually brightened, Teacher Ke laughed at herself.

She finally understood how imprecise and overconfident it had been for her to ask for a co-author credit back then.

Li Ye did not need her help at all. Her help would only have caused trouble for him.

Although Teacher Ke truly had had no other way at the time, unwilling to let go even of a single straw, was that really a reason that could stand on its own feet?

And looking at the manuscript in her hands, Teacher Ke could feel that Li Ye was genuinely helping her.

This novel, tentatively titled Deserter in the Flames of War, was a "high-end custom-made work" tailored to Teacher Ke's wishes in every way.

Though it was only an opening, the soldiers who had spilled their hot blood for the light had been portrayed by Li Ye through various techniques with vivid, striking colors, leaving a deep impression at first glance.

And that was important.

Once the book was finished, Teacher Ke could show it to certain people. As long as it left an impression on them, her husband, whom people had already forgotten, would surely be remembered again.

It could be said that Teacher Ke had never explained to Li Ye what she needed, yet Li Ye had precisely given her what she most longed for and needed.

Sincerity toward others went both ways.

Teacher Ke immediately decided to apologize to Li Ye.

Showing Dong Yuejin the works she had published in the past, then admitting her own shortcomings, was an indirect way of elevating Li Ye's literary ability.

After all, Li Ye was still too young and could easily be looked down upon.

And admitting her own shortcomings modestly in front of Li Ye's family did not feel humiliating to Teacher Ke at all. If anything, she felt it was exactly right.

Teacher Ke had watched her daughter change with her own eyes. Something might well happen between her and Li Ye in the future, so she absolutely could not let his parents gossip about them!

.

"I offer a toast to you both. Congratulations on raising such a fine son and grandson."

Teacher Ke raised her glass and formally toasted Li Zhongfa and Li Kaijian.

"Not at all, not at all. The child is still young. We'll have to trouble Teacher Ke to guide him more in the future!"

Li Zhongfa and Li Kaijian were both socially adept men. Neither acted stiffly, and as cups clinked back and forth, the atmosphere in the private room became warm and harmonious.

And because Teacher Ke had stepped in, everyone finally filled in the explanations for certain doubts on their own.

Li Ye was still rather young, so having him write a spy novel like Latent lacked some persuasiveness.

But now that Teacher Ke was there to vouch for him, she had inadvertently patched up that flaw. Everyone took it for granted that Teacher Ke had orally recounted many stories for Li Ye to use as groundwork.

Before long, Li Ye saw Dong Yuejin gradually flushing and sweating. Knowing that the man's alcohol tolerance was average, he realized that if Dong Yuejin got drunk, they would not be able to discuss business.

When discussing business at a drinking table, it was best to stay between "slightly tipsy" and "drunk," because what was said while drunk did not count, while sober people counted it but did not say it.

So Li Ye found an opening and asked, "Editor Dong, did the publishing house tell you anything about the manuscript payment this time?"

Editor Dong had come prepared and answered with confidence, "Of course they did. Li Ye, the quality of your novel is quite good. I secured a payment rate of five yuan per thousand characters for you. That's already very high among new authors."

"Five yuan?"

Li Ye was visibly disappointed. The state standard was three to ten yuan per thousand characters. For a first-time new author, five yuan per thousand characters did not seem low.

But for a book like Latent, five yuan per thousand characters truly was not much.

Li Ye pondered for a few seconds, then asked again, "Editor Dong, then what royalty rate has been set? What percentage?"

"Royalties?" Dong Yuejin froze, then asked Li Ye in return, "What royalties?"

Li Ye was also taken aback. After thinking it over, he said, "Print-run royalties. Didn't the state restore print-run royalties in 1980?"

Dong Yuejin looked thoroughly embarrassed. "I really don't know about that."

Li Ye frowned. He did not know whether Dong Yuejin truly did not know or was playing dumb with him.

Back when he had written web novels in his previous life, envious of those great authors' huge royalties, he had once happened to read about royalties in China.

Royalties had been introduced to this land as early as the 1920s. Hu Shih and others had lived quite comfortably in the imperial capital, where "even dwelling in the capital was no easy thing," thanks to royalties.

Then, in 1980, the state restored the long-suspended royalty system and established a royalty rate of "a basic payment of 5% for ten thousand copies." It had increased repeatedly afterward, and even Han X had once received a 20% royalty rate.

But what Li Ye did not know was that although the state had made the regulation, the policy beneficial to authors was not truly implemented until after Shuo Ye burst onto the scene.

But how could Li Ye know that now? He thought he had remembered it wrong.

So Li Ye tested the waters and asked, "Then, Editor Dong, were the payment standards set in 1980 three to ten yuan per thousand characters for original works, and two to seven yuan per thousand characters for translations?"

Dong Yuejin was embarrassed as well. He nodded and said, "Yes, that's correct. But I'll confirm the print-run royalties with the publishing house."

So he had not remembered wrong. For a moment, Li Ye felt rather uncomfortable, and the smile on his face noticeably cooled.

Dong Yuejin was actually in a difficult position too. Although Latent was indeed an exceptionally fine work, before seeing its results, the gap in status between the publishing house and the author could not be leveled.

In dealing with a new author like Li Ye, Dong Yuejin was already an exceptionally amiable and accommodating editor.

In this era, there were quite a few people like Feng Bo of Dahe Publishing House.

Hearing this, Li Zhongfa and Li Kaijian felt uncomfortable too. So the maximum was ten yuan and the minimum was three, yet they were only giving his grandson five yuan—and cutting off the later earnings as well?

Li Zhongfa immediately laughed heartily, raised his glass, and urged a drink. "Come, come, Editor Dong, let's have one. Children like to split hairs, so don't take it to heart. We aren't writing books because we covet that little bit of money, are we?"

And Li Kaijian, a former reconnaissance soldier, quietly retrieved Li Ye's novel manuscript while the two men drank and packed it securely into his bag.

Over a thousand yuan and they wanted to buy away his son's treasure? Was that supposed to be a lot of money?

Hao Jian's malt candy business had been unexpectedly booming. Jin Peng had come over to report a few days ago, and the profit share from this latest batch might reach as high as three thousand yuan.

So the Li family no longer valued money the same way they once had.

After Li Zhongfa and Li Kaijian plied Dong Yuejin with quite a bit of alcohol, he groggily picked up his bag and wanted to pull out the contract to confirm the publication with Li Ye. Only then did he discover that the manuscript he had not finished reading was gone.

It was like having the electricity and internet cut off halfway through a drama—neither up nor down, maddeningly uncomfortable.

But it also reminded Dong Yuejin from another angle: if even he, a veteran editor, could be hooked like this by the novel, what would happen when ordinary readers saw it?

It could be said that the latter half of Li Ye's manuscript had far exceeded Dong Yuejin's expectations and made him steel his resolve.

Latent was a good book. He absolutely had to secure it!

He took out the contract and said to everyone with a smile, "We've had our drinks and eaten our meal. Isn't it time to discuss some business? This is the publishing contract the house prepared for Latent. Li Ye, have a look."

"Why the rush?" Li Kaijian threw an arm around Dong Yuejin and said warmly, "It's not easy for Editor Dong to come all the way to Qingshui. No matter what, you have to let us host you for a few days. We still have to keep drinking tonight."

Dong Yuejin smacked his lips, knowing that this matter was about to take a turn.

But he was also a man willing to take responsibility, so he immediately stated, "We can't drink any more. Any more, and it'll delay the work.

"I'll call the publishing house in a while and report this. I'll do my best to fight for a higher payment rate. How does that sound?"

Li Kaijian was taken aback for a moment, then vigorously patted Editor Dong on the shoulder. "Old Dong, you're a straightforward man. No matter what happens, you've got yourself a friend."

After leaving the restaurant, Dong Yuejin insisted on refusing Li Kaijian's further hospitality and went to the post office to make a call himself.

The call did not go smoothly. The publishing house had strong objections, claiming that "there was no precedent for this."

Only after Dong Yuejin said that "Dahe Publishing House intends to get involved" did the editor-in-chief toss him a line: "If you're willing to bear all responsibility, then go ahead and make a mess of it."

Those words carried considerable weight. If Dong Yuejin insisted on making an exception, then unless Latent became a massive hit, his future career would be affected.

Dong Yuejin wandered around the county town for two laps in frustration, growing more worked up the more he thought about it.

By then, the alcohol had hit him, and it was nearly five in the afternoon. He could only plan to stay the night, think it through carefully tomorrow, and then have a proper talk with Li Ye.

He entered the Qingshui County Guesthouse and saw a young man at the counter. While checking in, the man was asking how to get to County Second High School, as well as things like the usual ages of students in the Retake Class.

Dong Yuejin became alert. He edged closer and glanced at the man's letter of introduction. Though his nearsighted eyes could not make it out clearly, the large red seal bore the words "publishing house."

Damn it—speak of monsters, and a ghost appeared.

Dong Yuejin jolted, and the alcohol haze vanished at once.

He quietly backed away, left the guesthouse, and took off toward County Second High School.