Zhao Qinyin

Nighttime, in a bar.

"Yes, Father, everything is going smoothly for me here..."

"I understand. My qualifications are too shallow, and if I rashly entered the group as a supervising editor, it would be hard to convince everyone. That's why I agreed to come to this small manga company to hone myself and improve my resume, wasn't it?..."

"I've already worked at this company for half a year. There are three manga titles under my supervision, and in the popularity surveys on Man Ying, Ink Fish Manga Company's platform, all of them ranked in the Top Ten. I think that's enough to prove my abilities..."

"I still have to stay for another year?"

"No, Father... I want to go back to Modu, I..."

"Beep, beep, beep..."

Hearing the sound of the call being disconnected, Song Jiayu's expression turned rather ugly.

"Editor-in-Chief Song, why do you look so upset?" Song Jiayu's colleagues looked at him and eagerly came over to ask.

"It's nothing." Song Jiayu took a deep breath, and his expression returned to normal.

Inside the bar, glasses clinked amid lively conversation.

"Speaking of which, I heard Editor-in-Chief Pang agreed to let Su Ruo serialize a newcomer's work on Ink Shadow..."

"Yeah, yeah. It seems to be the work that Editor-in-Chief Song refused to let serialize on Man Ying during the last Serialization Meeting. Su Ruo actually openly challenged Editor-in-Chief Song at the meeting... Who would've thought she'd move it to Ink Shadow for serialization?"

"Speaking of which, ever since Shuzhiyin, which Su Ruo was in charge of, ended, nearly all the works she's proposed for serialization over the past Two Months have been rejected, right?" As the speaker talked, he glanced at Song Jiayu.

"Even if a serialization decision gets approved, it's only serialized in some insignificant magazines. On Man Ying, our manga company's flagship publication, there isn't a single work edited by Su Ruo right now..."

Su Ruo!

A figure surfaced in Song Jiayu's mind!

A flicker of anger immediately rose within him.

Everyone present knew that the cold treatment Su Ruo had received in the Editorial Department during This Period of Time had basically been at Song Jiayu's instigation.

This young man, who had been personally appointed by the chairman of Ink Shadow Manga Company and parachuted into the Editorial Department as an assistant editor Half a Year Ago, had made pursuing Ink Fish Manga Company's beauty, Su Ruo, the first thing he did after taking office...

But clearly, Su Ruo did not care for Song Jiayu. After she had tactfully turned him down multiple times and Song Jiayu still refused to give up...

Finally, one Early Morning three months ago, Su Ruo, who had once again been harassed by Song Jiayu, completely erupted.

Not only did she say some excessively harsh things, but more importantly, there had been many onlookers around at the time.

Song Jiayu was utterly humiliated.

Before this, people around him had only thought Song Jiayu was being a little too persistent. It had not seemed like a big deal.

But once Su Ruo erupted, people at the manga company began to see Song Jiayu as someone who kept pestering a woman even though she clearly did not want him...

From then on... the serialization plans proposed by Su Ruo were always rejected. Even when they were not rejected, they were only allowed to run in magazines with little influence. Gradually, some manga creators who had been on good terms with Su Ruo also transferred to other editors.

Though there was no direct evidence that Song Jiayu had orchestrated it, everyone understood what was going on without anyone needing to say it aloud.

If this continued, Su Ruo's career as a manga editor would likely be over.

Though they felt sorry for Su Ruo, the workplace was like this. After so long, no one dared speak up for her.

A female editor who had once been on good terms with Su Ruo looked at Song Jiayu, surrounded by the crowd, and let out a soft sigh.

As an outsider to Ink Fish Manga Company, Chu Yu naturally had no idea about the situation his editor Su Ruo was in at the company.

In the Early Morning, he got up, washed his face, brushed his teeth, and quickly headed to school.

Today was Monday. More than a week had passed since he signed with Ink Fish Manga Company. Based on his recent chats with Su Ruo, this Wednesday, Chu Yu's work, The Garden of Words, would officially begin serialization in the new issue of Ink Shadow.

As for the Manuscript Fee for Chapter One, because it was Chapter One and had Over Forty Pages of content, more than nine thousand yuan had been transferred into Chu Yu's bank account yesterday.

That had left Chu Yu excited all day yesterday.

After all, Chu Yu's Parents had died early. Although they had not left behind a mortgage on the house, they had not left much cash in inheritance either. If he had only needed to get through High School, he could have managed by living frugally. But if he wanted to attend university, he would probably have to apply for student loans and work part-time to cover living expenses in his spare time.

So Chu Yu had actually always lived quite frugally.

Nine thousand yuan was Not Many for an average family, but over the past More Than Half a Year, Chu Yu's total expenses had not even reached that amount.

So as soon as the money arrived, he replaced the computer at home, the one that took three minutes just to boot up, spending more than five thousand yuan on a new one.

No matter what, he now earned several thousand yuan a week in manuscript fees and nearly twenty thousand yuan a month. He was practically rich, so he had begun spending generously—though the content of The Garden of Words was only enough to last him less than Two Months of serialization.

He had also spent most of last night playing games on his new computer, leaving him looking somewhat pale today, with two rather obvious dark circles beneath his eyes.

Monday morning meant the usual Flag Raising Ceremony.

More than three thousand students stood in neat rows, waiting quietly for the ceremony to begin.

"Wow, look at her..."

"She's so pretty. If only my Girlfriend could be as pretty as her someday..."

"Quit dreaming, you..."

Listening to the comments from several boys in his class behind him, Chu Yu Shook Head. There was no need to say it—he knew who they were talking about.

Chu Yu glanced toward the girl standing less than three meters away from him.

She stood diagonally ahead to Chu Yu's left, dressed in a blue school uniform that looked exceptionally beautiful on her. Her posture was straight and textbook-perfect, like a soldier's. Just her back alone drew the attention of more than half the boys in the nearby rows.

Zhao Qinyin, the Class Monitor of Class 6, Grade 12, and the Student Council President of Fifth Middle School. Since enrolling, she had consistently ranked first in her grade. Beautiful and cold by nature, she was one of the school's two ultimate dream girls for this pack of hormonal animals.

Naturally, the other was Qin Qianyv, the Class Monitor of Chu Yu's class.

Because of the Flag Raising Ceremony, Zhao Qinyin, as Student Council President, had to stand at the very front of the formation. Thus, every Monday during the Flag Raising Ceremony and every Friday during the Flag Lowering Ceremony, Chu Yu would always hear comments like these from the boys around him.

No matter how pretty she was, she was still just a mortal from 3D. Was there any need for this? How could she compare to a 2D wife who would never grow old, never die, and would always be gentle and adorable to you?

Chu Yu shook his head.

Soon, the familiar music began to play.

But not long after the music started, a thud sounded beside Chu Yu.

Dozens of eyes around them turned in unison toward the source of the sound.

There, a delicate figure had fallen to the ground, revealing a fair and beautiful face.

Her lips were somewhat pale, and fine beads of sweat covered her forehead. She tried to stand again, but after struggling for a long while, her legs seemed to have no strength left. No matter what she did, she could not get up.

?...

?...

?...

Everyone who saw This Scene was full of question marks. Zhao Qinyin? What was wrong with her?

Usually, she was aloof and kept everyone at arm's length. She was not good at talking, and it was said that there were times when she would not say a single word in class all day.

Who had ever seen her fall flat onto the ground like this?

Someone wanted to go over and help her up, but this was the Flag Raising Ceremony. Moving around recklessly could cost the class points. Besides, recalling the usual rumors about her coldness, On the contrary, not a single person acted. They could only watch helplessly as she lay on the ground, struggling for ages without managing to stand.

"No way, right?" Chu Yu looked at Zhao Qinyin's pale expression.

Then he looked around at the people who seemed to have no intention of helping. Although he did not want to meddle, he still gritted his teeth, stepped out of line, walked over to Zhao Qinyin, crouched down beside her, and asked in a Low voice.

"Are you... hypoglycemic?"

Zhao Qinyin raised her head and looked at Chu Yu. Several seconds later, she weakly responded.

"Mm."

"You can't stand up?" Chu Yu Took a deep breath.

"Hey, come over here. Help me take her to the Infirmary." Chu Yu looked at the nearest Male and said.

Huh?

Because of the amplified music from the Flag Raising Ceremony, the boy could not hear what Chu Yu was saying at all. He looked at Chu Yu with a puzzled expression.

"Forget it, forget it!" Chu Yu did not waste any more time on him.

He looked at Zhao Qinyin, Took a deep breath, and slid one arm under her arm and the other beneath the bend of her knees.

"Sorry about this!" Chu Yu said to Zhao Qinyin.

Zhao Qinyin seemed to realize what Chu Yu intended to do. She instinctively raised her arm, wanting to refuse.

But when she saw Chu Yu's eyes and found no ulterior thoughts in them, as if he had no intention of taking advantage of her, she hesitated for a moment and stopped moving.

Seeing this, Chu Yu exerted force with both hands, scooped Zhao Qinyin into his arms, and ran toward the Infirmary.