You Don't Believe It? I Do!

"Please give me a receipt. And could you tell me how to get to County Second High School in Qingshui County?"

Geng Zhi handed the money to the guesthouse cashier, took back his letter of introduction, and asked for directions while he was at it.

At noon today, he had suddenly received "good news." After the publishing house's comprehensive deliberation, they had decided that he would still be the one to contact Seven-Inch Blade and finalize the publication of Undercover as soon as possible.

Geng Zhi had been holding a bellyful of rage and had nearly erupted on the spot.

Isn't this making me wipe Feng Bo's ass? Whoever took the shit should eat it himself.

But in the end, Geng Zhi swallowed that anger.

Because he truly thought highly of Undercover and had been thinking day and night about fighting for it one more time.

It was just that Feng Bo had played a little trick and had not clearly told Geng Zhi about calling Principal Chang.

So Geng Zhi had no idea that someone from another publishing house had already come looking for Li Ye. After arriving in Qingshui County, he planned to settle in first and collect some travel allowance.

Back then, work units had not yet found ways to "buy receipts" for business trips. At most, one could earn a little travel allowance.

Since Geng Zhi had set off at noon today, it counted as one day. Tomorrow would count for at least another day. Two days' travel allowance was not much, but it was enough for his family to eat meat twice, or upgrade the quality of cigarettes he smoked that month.

But just then, Geng Zhi caught sight of a bespectacled middle-aged man rushing out of the guesthouse, then breaking into a dead sprint.

What was wrong with that guy? Was a dog chasing him?

"Take your receipt. Turn left when you leave, and County Second High School is one li down the road."

The guesthouse clerk handed Geng Zhi the receipt and pointed out the direction.

Geng Zhi took one look. Wasn't that exactly the direction the guy fleeing from dogs had gone?

Something stirred in his heart, and for no reason at all, a wave of panic rose within him.

It's still early. Should I go take a look at County Second High School first?

Geng Zhi casually stepped outside and headed toward County Second High School.

Qingshui County lay on flat plains, its streets long and straight. From far away, Geng Zhi could see Dong Yuejin, who had run himself out of breath and was panting with every step.

Geng Zhi looked around in both directions, thoroughly puzzled.

There was no dog chasing him!

But the next moment, Geng Zhi saw Dong Yuejin look back at him before taking off again.

"Was he looking at me?"

Geng Zhi instinctively guessed at one possibility and unconsciously quickened his pace.

Geng Zhi was far younger than Dong Yuejin, and Dong Yuejin ahead of him had already run himself out of breath, so he could never shake Geng Zhi off.

Watching Dong Yuejin enter County Second High School, Geng Zhi still could not figure it out. But when Old Liu Tou, the gatekeeper, stopped him, he immediately knew things were bad.

"What are you here for? Who are you looking for?"

"I'm from Dahe Publishing House. I'm looking for Li Ye."

"Another one from a publishing house? Are you with that guy from earlier?"

"..."

"Holy shit~~"

When Dong Yuejin arrived at Retake Class One with his mouth hanging open and his chest heaving, Li Ye and the others were each holding enamel mugs, surging toward the cafeteria in a dark mass and packing the corridor outside the classroom to the brim.

Dong Yuejin fought upstream through the crowd, cutting his way all the way to Li Ye. He swallowed and said, "Li Ye, I've requested approval from the publishing house. Your manuscript fee can be raised to eight yuan per thousand characters."

Li Ye was slightly surprised. A few hours ago it had been five yuan, and now it had suddenly become eight. Something must have happened in between.

Otherwise, with the work efficiency and rigid thinking of the 1980s, this could never have happened.

Since you're getting anxious, I don't need to be.

Li Ye smiled gently. "Editor Dong, no rush. Let's eat first, then we can talk slowly. How does that sound?"

Like hell it does!

Dong Yuejin directly pulled a stamped contract from his bag, took out a fountain pen, and handed it to Li Ye. Like a devil tempting a lamb, he began to persuade him.

"Li Ye, believe me. No one will offer a higher price than I have. Your book is nearly three hundred thousand characters long. As long as you sign this contract, you can receive 2,400 yuan in manuscript fees within two days at most."

"Whoa~~"

"My God, 2,400 yuan!"

"What on earth did Li Ye write to get that much money? He... he isn't doing something wrong, is he?"

"If doing something wrong got you 2,400 yuan, go ahead and do it for me to see."

The students packed into the corridor exploded into uproar. All of them stood on tiptoe to look at Li Ye, who was surrounded in the middle, as if he were a glittering money tree.

In the early 1980s, 2,400 yuan could build several fine tile-roofed houses, buy more than a dozen bicycles, or marry dozens of wives.

With ordinary workers earning thirty or forty yuan a month, who knew how many years it would take to save up 2,400 yuan?

The reason Dong Yuejin had announced that figure on the spot was to stir up the shock of the surrounding students and use the momentum to smash Li Ye senseless in one blow.

What young man of this era would not see stars before his eyes and obediently submit after hearing such a huge sum?

Of course, to be fair, eight yuan per thousand characters was indeed not a low price for Li Ye as a new author. It was only Dahe Publishing House's interference that had forced Dong Yuejin to use this little tactic.

But Li Ye was someone who had seen "big money." How could he be so easily swayed?

He shook his head and pointed at the students around them. "Editor Dong, look around. This isn't really the right place to talk, is it?"

"I..."

Dong Yuejin wished he could pin Li Ye down right then, grab his finger, and press it onto the contract like forcing Yang Bailao to sign away his life.

But looking at Li Ye's harmless smile, Dong Yuejin felt a profound helplessness.

This kid was a slippery one. No, he was a profiteer.

"Excuse me, which one of you is Student Li Ye?"

Geng Zhi appeared at the end of the corridor. His gaze passed over the dense crowd of students and fixed precisely on the contract in Dong Yuejin's hand.

More than a dozen arms shot out in unison, pointing at Li Ye. The enthusiastic students identified him in chorus, "He's Li Ye!"

Geng Zhi squeezed through, glanced at Dong Yuejin, and extended his hand. "Hello, Student Li Ye. I'm Geng Zhi from Dahe Publishing House, and I'm now responsible for publishing your novel."

"Another publishing house? Now that's a rare sight."

The students around them stopped going to get food and all crowded outside the classroom to watch the spectacle.

Two publishing houses fighting over one student—let alone seeing it, they had never even heard of such a thing.

Li Ye asked Geng Zhi curiously, "Wasn't Feng Bo from your publishing house the one handling this with me?"

Geng Zhi felt sick at heart, but he still explained, "Feng Bo merely happened to answer a phone call. I've actually been in charge from beginning to end."

"Oh, oh, oh." Li Ye was in high spirits, smiling as he said, "Then let's eat first. My treat. We can talk slowly, all right?"

Half an hour later, the three of them sat in a mutton soup restaurant outside the school, silent and saying nothing.

The scramble Li Ye had expected never appeared. Dong Yuejin and Geng Zhi, perhaps because their hearts had somehow connected, suddenly formed an understanding and began a "cold standoff" with Li Ye.

But how could Li Ye, who had lived two lifetimes, fail to see through their little trick?

He slurped down his mutton soup, greeted the two of them, and prepared to leave.

"You two eat slowly. I'm going back to class first. If there's anything, you can talk to me separately, or together. Either is fine."

Geng Zhi immediately lost his composure. Judging from the way Dong Yuejin had run with all four limbs flying earlier, he was utterly certain Dong Yuejin would seek Li Ye out alone.

Empty promises cost nothing anyway, so Geng Zhi laid it all out. "Student Li Ye, could you let me read the manuscript first? Please rest assured, Dahe Publishing House is first-rate in strength and can offer the most generous terms."

Li Ye scratched his head and said modestly, "I only just finished my manuscript, and I always feel there are still some shortcomings. I'd better let a few experienced people take a look first. Once the final version is settled, I'll ask for your guidance."

"..."

You want someone to take a look? You want to submit it to other publishing houses, don't you?

Geng Zhi's teeth itched with fury, while Dong Yuejin could only shake his head helplessly.

There were many publishing houses in the country. They might not offer better terms, but they would certainly make things more complicated.

Give up? Wouldn't that be handing the bargain over to someone else on a silver platter?

Dong Yuejin let out a breath of frustration and said firmly, "Ten yuan. Ten yuan per thousand characters. That is the sincerity of Blue Sea Publishing House."

Geng Zhi looked at Dong Yuejin in surprise. For a moment, he seemed to see a tragic hero.

Li Ye blinked and asked, "Then what about royalties based on print runs?"

You want print-run royalties too?

Geng Zhi stared wide-eyed at Li Ye and suddenly felt that having Feng Bo deal with Li Ye had truly been a perfect match—turtle paired with mung bean.

Dong Yuejin smiled. "I can't answer you immediately regarding print-run royalties.

"But we have recently established contact with several literary media outlets in Hong Kong and can recommend your novel to them.

"The royalties over there are very high. If they take an interest in it, let alone a few thousand yuan, tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands are possible."

"Tch. Do you believe that yourself?"

Geng Zhi sneered and turned his face aside.

Because Island City accounted for eighty percent of the province's exports, it really was easier for it to establish connections with the outside world. But how much credibility did those connections have?

Besides, how could a novel like Undercover, with such obvious political coloring, possibly catch the attention of Hong Kong media?

Not only did Geng Zhi not believe it, even Dong Yuejin himself did not believe it.

But the two of them were astonished to discover that the crafty little thief actually seemed to believe it.

Li Ye's eyes suddenly gleamed like a thief's.

Damn, there's such an awesome connection? You should've said so earlier!

A novel like Undercover definitely would not work.

But I have A Step into the Past!

Tomb Robbers' Chronicles, Ghost Blows Out the Light—what genre do you want?

And if that still doesn't work, there are all kinds of angsty romance novels for female readers. Auntie Qiong Yao, shall we have a friendly exchange?

Five percent per ten thousand copies, raised to eight percent in 1990.

Thanks to reader "Fish Got a Cat" for the tip. Thank you, boss!