A Complete Mess

Afternoon.

Wenxin Hall.

Big Comic Editorial Department.

Li Xue stood at the entrance, looking around the cluttered workstations. When she spotted the familiar figure, she couldn't help smiling. Then she clicked over in her high heels, pulled up a chair beside one of the desks, and sat down.

She looked at Tang Yao, who was bent over beside her with her head against the desk, radiating gloom from head to toe. With a warm smile, she asked, "What's wrong?"

"..."

Tang Yao leaned over the desk, her forehead pressed to the tabletop. She picked up the manuscript beside her, which had just arrived from the fax machine. "This one, Teacher Ou, absolutely insists on killing off the protagonist."

Then—

She set down the manuscript and picked up another sheet of A4 paper, with a big "Sorry" written across it. "This one, Teacher Shao, has flaked again."

Finally—

She put down the A4 sheet and muttered, "And there's an even bigger one... Teacher Tang, who promised to submit something for the Manga Award, has flaked too."

"..."

Li Xue's expression stiffened at that. She felt almost suffocated just hearing about it, let alone having to deal with it herself.

Looking at Tang Yao slumped over the desk, she said sympathetically, "You really have been through a lot."

"Ugh..."

Like a cat stretching out its paws, Tang Yao sprawled across the desk and clenched her fists. She let out a groan, utterly resigned to her fate.

"Why don't you come work in our department instead?"

Li Xue gently patted Tang Yao's slender back, comforting her as she glanced around the empty Editorial Department. "It's just too hard for a girl to get by in a male-dominated youth manga department.

"Your editor-in-chief may have strong administrative skills, if you want to put it nicely. Put it less nicely, and he's good at skirting responsibility. That puts a lot of pressure on the editors beneath him. In circumstances like these, no one's going to give you special treatment just because you're pretty. Besides, you're not the sort to wear 'I rely on men' on your face.

"You know, even the flashy, flirtatious women in our department don't dare join the youth manga team.

"Look at these authors. They're such a pain to deal with, aren't they?"

"..."

Tang Yao slowly lifted her head and turned to look at the mature woman sitting beside her. She really was mature. If Tang Yao's outfit could be called slapdash, the woman beside her was the very picture of a sophisticated urban professional.

A light, soft white blouse traced her graceful curves, and her well-tailored pencil skirt hugged her figure. The blouse was tucked neatly into the waistband, and her long, shapely legs, clad in smooth black stockings, were crossed at a slight angle. Her feminine curves were on full display.

Their styles of dress were complete opposites.

But they were both beautiful.

"Miss Li, I don't understand shoujo manga. I can't even handle things here, so how could I possibly go work with you?"

Tang Yao looked helplessly at the mature woman beside her. A faint red mark remained on her fair, smooth forehead from leaning against the desk. "Otherwise, I'd really want to."

"How could you not understand it?"

Li Xue looked Tang Yao up and down as she straightened her back, her stunning curves on full display. She reached over to rub the red mark on Tang Yao's forehead and smiled. "You look like you'd understand it perfectly. You look just like the heroine of a shoujo manga."

"..."

Tang Yao stared at her.

Li Xue blinked and smiled gently. "What? Don't you like being complimented?"

"If you could, I'd rather you complimented me on being handsome or something."

Tang Yao shifted her gaze to her reflection in the monitor in front of her, her expression complicated.

"Forget it. You'll never be able to pull off that word in your life."

Li Xue shook her head without hesitation, then raised a slender finger and wagged it lightly. "But I could consider words like cute or pretty. Oh... and naturally airheaded. Can you do that thing again?"

As she spoke, she seemed to remember something funny. She braced herself against the desk and turned to face the workstation, leaning forward until her ample chest was close to the desktop, as if about to press against the keyboard. Putting on a look of surprise, she said in an affected voice, "Hey, Miss Li, why is my space bar pressing itself?"

"..."

Tang Yao whipped her head around, staring at her with a hint of embarrassment. "You're never going to let that go, are you?"

"Because it was really funny."

Seeing Tang Yao's expression only made Li Xue laugh harder. She turned back around. "That was the first time I'd ever seen someone act out a manga scene in real life."

"I just wasn't used to it... Forget it."

Tang Yao couldn't be bothered to explain. There was no way she could make it make sense anyway. Getting used to a new identity wasn't easy.

She'd made plenty of blunders during her first week there. Most of them had happened at home, but she'd made one or two at work, too. As luck would have it... Miss Li Xue had been there for all of them.

It had been a funny way for the two of them to meet.

"So, really, you won't consider it?"

After laughing, Li Xue looked at Tang Yao, who seemed utterly defeated, and decided not to tease her any further. Nearly a week together had taught her that this junior of hers was good at everything—except that, for some reason, she was especially self-conscious about her body and reacted strongly to jokes about it.

At least she'd gotten a little better lately.

So Li Xue wisely turned to the matter at hand.

Tang Yao shook her head gently. "Miss Li... I really don't understand shoujo manga. I can't even handle male-oriented manga, let alone female-oriented manga."

Li Xue clearly didn't believe her. "That's impossible. Even if you haven't read shoujo manga regularly, you must have come across it while growing up. And even if you haven't, just look at your identity. Female-oriented manga should be easier for you to understand than male-oriented manga..."

"I'm an exception."

"An exception..."

Li Xue looked troubled. "I don't understand."

"Then just think of me as a freak. Besides, I don't plan to stay here long. I'm definitely going to quit."

Tang Yao didn't explain any further. Instead, she found another way to turn down the offer. "I'm grateful you've looked out for me, but I think traditional print media is about to start declining."

Li Xue furrowed her brows slightly. "That can't be right. I heard YOUNG comic hit another record high this quarter."

YOUNG comic.

The leading manga magazine in this world.

It was like JUMP, published by Shueisha, in Tang Yao's previous life.

"The mobile internet is about to take off."

Tang Yao looked at the manuscript on the desk, still carrying the scent of fresh ink. "Although this world... Although I don't know how things will unfold from here, traditional print media will definitely take a hit. It won't disappear, but I don't think it'll do too well. Especially for a mid-tier outfit like Wenxin Hall, I think the next few years will be tough."

"Then what are you planning to do...?"

"I'm planning to work in the internet industry."

A hopeful look appeared on Tang Yao's pretty face. "If things go well and I pick the right direction, I could probably make a lot of money. Maybe in games or something..."

"So you really are short on money."

Li Xue didn't quite believe her, but seeing the hopeful look on Tang Yao's face, she couldn't bring herself to discourage her. "Your younger sister's still in school, right?"

"Yeah. Actually, the only reason I haven't quit yet is that I need to make sure there's nothing left to worry about."

Tang Yao smiled bitterly. "Otherwise, I'd have left already."

Li Xue fell silent for a moment, then said softly, "If you really need money urgently..."

"No need. I'm not so short of money that I need to borrow any. I've got enough to cover my living expenses. I'm just short on money to take a risk with, like that year-end bonus..."

Tang Yao knew what she was about to say. She gently shook her head and smiled at the kind woman beside her. "And that's not something I could bring myself to ask you for. We've only known each other for a week. It'd be too presumptuous."

Hearing that, Li Xue didn't press the matter. She looked at the girl's charming smile and joked, "Actually, I'd feel pretty comfortable lending you money. It's just a gut feeling, but I don't think I'd have to worry about you."

Tang Yao's eyes lit up. "Really? Then go ahead and lend me some. That way I won't have to pay it back."

Li Xue laughed and reached out to pinch Tang Yao's cheek. "Sure. Just make sure Big Sister can never find you."

"..."

Tang Yao immediately backed down, shyly dodging her hand and giving her a light glare.

She was no match for her at all.

Li Xue laughed merrily, but soon her smile faded. She looked seriously at the manuscript on Tang Yao's desk. "If you're quitting just for the money, that's too risky. Don't rush into a decision... If things really don't work out, come to me. I'll do what I can to help you financially.

"The main problem now is... what are you going to do about this?"

She pointed at the things on Tang Yao's desk and reminded her, "Your editor-in-chief may shirk responsibility, but when his own interests are at stake, he'll turn into a demon."

"..."

Tang Yao followed her gaze and looked over at the pile. After a moment of silence, she made up her mind. "I'll find a way to handle it."

"The other two should be manageable, whether it's Teacher Ou or Teacher Shao. But the Manga Award..."

Li Xue looked at Tang Yao worriedly. "The author you're responsible for is pretty famous, isn't he? How are you going to bring this up with your editor-in-chief?"

"..."

Tang Yao fell silent and looked at the pen on her desk. "I'll give it a try."

"Then..."

Li Xue assumed Tang Yao meant she'd keep trying, and was about to say more.

But suddenly—

The phone she'd set on the desk began to vibrate.

Li Xue picked it up and glanced at the screen. After a moment's hesitation, she said, "Sorry, Tang Yao, I have to go... Let's talk later."

"Sure, go ahead."

Tang Yao turned away. "Don't worry about me."

"Don't push yourself. If things really don't work out, contact me. Our department will welcome you no matter what."

Li Xue stood up and gently patted Tang Yao on the shoulder. "And don't hesitate to come to me if you need help."

"Thanks."

Tang Yao thanked her, then watched the beautiful older woman click away in her high heels, thinking to herself, She really is a good person.

At least in her previous life, Tang Yao had never met a friend who would go this far for her after knowing her for just one week.

Still... It wasn't realistic to expect anyone else to solve the problem she was facing.

And there was no way she could actually take charge of shoujo manga.

She really didn't understand it...

"..."

At that thought, Tang Yao shook her head gently, turned her chair back toward the desk, let out a long sigh, and leaned back to stare at the ceiling.

What a mess.

So, what was she supposed to do now...?