Chapter 102 The disease is called love

Chapter 102 The disease is called love

Chapter 102 The disease is called love
Ye Lan discovered that something was wrong with Wang Zixu when he was in his car.

He had a brain CT scan and MRI in the past few days, and also had a chest X-ray taken while lying on the X-ray machine, but nothing was wrong. So Ye Lan drove to pick him up from the hospital.

This should have been a joyous occasion, but Wang Zixu was exceptionally silent.

Ye Lan was not surprised at first. Wang Zixu had always been a silent person. But today his silence was different.

In the past, he was silent because he was always thinking about other things, but today, his silence was like a giant snake Jörmungandr rolling in the air. He looked even more haggard than the day he entered the hospital.

"What's wrong with you? Are you still feeling a little uncomfortable?"

Wang Zixu shook his head.

"If you still feel uncomfortable, you can stay for another day. Wen Ai Club is not in a hurry. Our data is still increasing these days. Guess how much it has increased?"

Wang Zixu said: "Don't mention the Wenmi Club."

"Okay, let's not talk about it. So what's wrong with you?"

"I didn't do anything."

"You obviously look like something."

"I'm really fine."

Ye Lan rarely cares about others, and when she finally did, she was hurt by Wang Zixu's attitude of keeping people at a distance. She wanted to ask Wang Zixu, "Has anyone mentioned that you are difficult to get along with?", but she held back. Because it is very likely that many people have said so, but he has not changed.

If someone else spoke to her like this, she would definitely stop the car and get angry and swear. She didn't know why she was so gentle today. Maybe it was because Wang Zixu had just been discharged from the hospital.

Children should not mind what they say, she told herself.

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration flashed through her mind like a meteor, and Ye Lan asked, "How was your essay competition going?"

Wang Zixu sighed: "Not shortlisted."

Ye Lan said: "Okay, so it's because of this."

She turned to look at him. Wang Zixu neither admitted nor denied it, but just looked out the window alone. Ye Lan laughed secretly in her heart.

She understood now. Wang Zixu was like a safe. He wasn't trying to keep secrets. When he didn't talk, he just didn't want to talk. But if you entered the right password, he would tell you everything.

"Why didn't I make the list? Is it really that difficult to write an essay?"

Wang Zixu said: "Maybe it was the mistake of urinating blood that day that had an impact. I wrote the last part of the novel in the hospital. It was a bit hasty, and the environment was not particularly good, which affected my judgment. Now I think the ending could have been done better..."

He began to talk about his experience in creation. Ye Lan was confused and finally said, "I think it may not be because of these reasons."

"Then why do you think it is?"

As Ye Lan drove, he said, "Just think about it, there must be hundreds or thousands of manuscripts submitted for this essay contest, right?"

Wang Zixu said: "A total of 351 manuscripts were submitted this time. They selected 100 for the finalists."

Ye Lan said, "Yes, out of the 100 manuscripts, you were definitely not eliminated for the 'profound' reason you just gave. Is there any flaw in what you wrote?"

Wang Zixu shook his head: "No. I have paid close attention to the requirements of this call for papers. It is impossible..."

The words were half-finished, hanging in the air like a half-exposed wire. No doubt, he himself was not completely sure.

Ye Lan added, "Keep calm. There could be many reasons why your manuscript didn't make the shortlist. For example, you might have offended someone or someone played a trick on you. Or maybe the person reviewing your manuscript didn't like a certain sentence you said. Or maybe your manuscript was just misplaced. Everything is possible."

Everything is possible. This sentence can explain many things, but it is not enough to explain Wang Zixu's downfall over the past ten years.

From "Don't despise the poor young" to "Late bloomers", Wang Zixu has always had high expectations for himself, and even encouraged himself with the opportunity to win the Nobel Prize in Literature fifty times. An author who has the opportunity to win the Nobel Prize in Literature will not fail to enter the Xihe essay contest.

Wang Zixu suddenly felt tired, like an old donkey that had carried twice its weight but suddenly aged. He found that he was simply unable to bear the responsibility he was carrying.

"Maybe there aren't that many possibilities. Maybe I really don't have much talent in novel writing."

After saying this, he seemed to have put down the burden of many years, laughed nervously, and then laughed again.

"In fact, if life is really hopeless, who would want to keep writing novels? Writing novels is very tiring. Your own life is a mess. If others disapprove of your writing with just one sentence, all your efforts will be wasted.

"In fact, I just couldn't let go. I just didn't want to admit it. Thank you for comforting me. I'm fine. I feel much better after admitting that I have no talent. I always think that I am talented but not appreciated is a disease. I need to be cured. My disease has been cured. I feel relaxed now.

"It's a good thing that I didn't make the shortlist. It was a wake-up call for me. What Nobel Prize in Literature, what talented men and beautiful women? I'm not at that level. I'm at this level. I should be more responsible and live a down-to-earth life."

Ye Lan stopped the car with a squeak and turned to stare at his face:
"Wang Zixu, what's your level? You can achieve a 6% retention rate from 16%. Do you know how my sisters reacted when I told them about your deeds? It's just an essay contest in Xihe. Is it necessary to be so sad?"

She suddenly got angry when she saw the prince's weak expression. She wanted to grab his shoulders and shake him hard until the water in his brain was shaken out. You are the one who created this industry legend. Do you understand?
Wang Zixu looked into her eyes and smiled: "The idiom 'sadness over spring and autumn' is used very well."

Ye Lan blushed: "That's enough, kid. Stop looking down on me. And is this the point?"

The prince smiled and said, "I see. Thank you. Let's go to the base. I'll focus on the script from now on. It's actually very comforting to have one less thing to worry about."

Ye Lan looked at him suspiciously. Did her consolation work? It seemed to work, but she still felt that something was wrong with Wang Zixu. Rather than letting go, it was better to say that he had given up on himself.

The ride was very fast. The Audi stopped in front of the base gate, and the two got out of the car. The scriptwriters came out to greet them. They carefully prepared a welcoming banquet for the little prince's discharge.

But this welcoming banquet was extremely dull. Wang Zixu always had a relaxed and comfortable smile on his face, and he was very gentle to everyone. He was kind to everyone and no longer stared blankly. His emotional intelligence improved a lot overnight.

The poet quietly pulled Ye Lan aside and asked in a low voice: "What happened? The little prince looks a little strange."

Ye Lan glared: "Really? You think he's weird too."

Cheng Xing had sharp ears. Hearing the two people's discussion, he joined the conversation and whispered, "Mr. Ye, did something happen between you and Teacher Little Prince? He looks broken."

"What is the feeling of being broken? It's so strange, but it feels so appropriate."

Ye Lan thought for a moment and said, "I'm just telling you two, but don't tell anyone else: he participated in an essay competition, but didn't make the cut."

This time, Cheng Xing and the poet stared at each other. After looking at each other, they both said:

"What kind of essay contest? What kind of essay contest is it that even the Little Prince teacher can defeat?"

Ye Lan briefly explained the Xihe Literary Society's essay solicitation, omitting the beginning and the end, and the two nodded after listening.

He was eliminated when only one hundred out of more than three hundred manuscripts were selected. This is too outrageous and no one can accept it.

After thinking for a while, Cheng Xing said, "This is impossible. There must be something wrong."

The poet also said: "Even if I submit the script directly to the essay contest, it will not be eliminated."

Ye Lan looked back at Wang Zixu who was drinking in the distance and whispered, "Yes, that's why it was such a big blow to him. On the way back, he told me that he was sick before, but now he is well because he let it go."

Cheng Xing shook his head with a bit of sadness: "The fact that Mr. Little Prince's manuscript was not shortlisted is not his fault, but the problem of the essay competition. It's just like some writers didn't win the Nobel Prize in Literature, because there is something wrong with the award."

Ye Lan glanced at Wang Zixu with a little worry. On the way back, she had always felt that he was a little strange, and now she finally found the source of his strangeness: Wang Zixu said that he was cured, but she felt that the sick Wang Zixu was the real Wang Zixu.

She didn't like this healthy Wang Zixu at all.

Wang Zixu's cell phone rang. He looked down and saw it was Lin Feng.

At the Wenai base, his phone was on silent mode to prevent his true identity from being exposed. But he was ready to end it all, so he didn't think about hiding his identity and answered the call in front of everyone:

"Hey, Brother Lin, yes, the shortlisted notice has been sent out. Are you shortlisted?... Congratulations, I knew you would be shortlisted. Congratulations, you will definitely be able to defeat Shen Qingfeng."

"Me? I didn't make the list. Yes. That's what it says on the notice. Let me see, it says 'Thank you for participating, your manuscript didn't make the list, keep up the good work', yes, that's very clear. I didn't make the list, and they asked me to keep up the good work."

"No, it's not a bad performance. I thought about it and I'm actually quite satisfied with what I wrote. It's just that my level is not good enough... No. I'm not as good as you say. This is my level. I'm just an ordinary literature lover."

"Don't worry. Really don't worry. I'm fine, I'm fine now... Well, let's make an appointment next time. I'm busy recently. Let's have supper together next time. Celebrate your winning the essay contest." After hanging up the phone, everyone looked at him quietly. He waved his hand and said, "Eat? Why are you looking at me? There's no food on my face, haha."

Wang Zixu was a little drunk, with a blush on his face. Cheng Xing walked up to him and said sincerely, "Little Prince Teacher, you don't have to doubt yourself. It's not your problem. It's that they have no right to crown you."

Wang Zixu waved his hands and said, "Forget it, forget it. You are flattering me too much. Why do you want me to be crowned? It's enough for me to make a living. That's good enough."

Cheng Xing said anxiously: "Don't give up on yourself. Sooner or later, your talent will be recognized by the world!"

Wang Zixu shook his head: "I didn't give up on myself. Of the 80 billion people on earth, at least 79 billion are just trying to make a living. What's wrong with me trying to make a living? I am the same as everyone else, and I think it's an honor."

Cheng Xing pursed his lips, held out his wine glass and said, "Little Prince Teacher, you have an idea in your mind. I don't know how to persuade you. It's all in the wine. I'll drink it."

Wang Zixu patted him on the shoulder and said, "No need to persuade us. We should continue to do what we should do in the future. I heard from Mr. Ye that the data was pretty good even when I was away for a few days. We are all great. Let's make money well and not be embarrassed."

He drank with Cheng Xing, and both felt a little dizzy. The others opened their glasses and drank together.

Ye Lan's phone rang. She took a look and saw that it was Ning Chunyan, whom she had just met not long ago. She walked to a deserted place and answered the call.

As soon as the call was connected, Ning Chunyan said anxiously, "I heard from Lin Feng that Wang Zixu's manuscript was not shortlisted this time? What's going on? I called him, but he didn't answer. How is he now?"

Ye Lan glanced at Wang Zixu, whose face was flushed, and said, "He's fine, but he's completely abnormal."

"Hasn't there always been something wrong with him?"

"It's even more wrong." Ye Lan changed his hand to hold the phone, "Anyway, he didn't make the cut. That's just his level."

Ning Chunyan said, "It's impossible for him not to be shortlisted! With his level, I showed it to my parents and some other writers, and they all said it was well written. It would be really unfair if his article didn't make the list!"

Ye Lan shook his head: "I don't know why this happened. In fact, I also find it strange why he didn't make the finals."

"Where are you?"

"what?"

"Where are you and Wang Zixu now?"

……

Shen Qingfeng was playing golf in the back hills of Xihe when his cell phone suddenly rang. He answered the call and heard Gou Yingbiao speaking excitedly:

"Boss Shen, this is amazing! Didn't the preliminary results of the essay contest come out yesterday? Guess what? Wang Zixu didn't make the cut!"

Shen Qingfeng raised his eyes and said, "Did the preliminary results come out yesterday? I didn't pay attention to it. Isn't it true that as long as you write it, you can be shortlisted?"

"Wang Zixu didn't make the cut. Mr. Shen, you're really amazing!"

Shen Qingfeng waved his hands quickly and said, "I didn't do anything, don't blame me. I don't even have time to care about this Wang Zixu. He didn't make the cut based on his own strength."

Gou Yingbiao's tone on the other end of the phone was a little doubtful: "Really?"

"Why should I be so secretive about this? If I really want to deal with him, why would I need to hide it? Anyway, I definitely didn't say hello. Lin Luo, did you say hello?"

Lin Luo sat under the parasol opposite him, spread his hands and said innocently:
"Teacher Shen, I don't even know that person. To be honest, I don't even consider him as an opponent. Besides, the Propaganda Department is in charge of the primary election. If I had this connection, I would just let them take action against Lin Feng."

Shen Qingfeng said to Gou Yingbiao: "You heard it. Lin Luo was right not to pay attention to him."

Gou Yingbiao was overjoyed: "Okay, thank you Mr. Shen for your concern. Anyway, I have solved a big problem."

Gou Yingbiao strode into the conference room, sat down in front of everyone, knocked on the table, and said:

"Today, let's just have a simple meeting. First of all, let's praise the comrades who submitted their essays some time ago. Xiao Diao has been shortlisted in the preliminary round! Let's applaud."

The conference room was immediately filled with applause, with Song Yinglian and Guo Ranran applauding especially vigorously. Diao Yiwen pursed her lips and politely nodded to each of her colleagues who looked at her.

Gou Yingbiao added: "Our comrade Wang Zixu! Ah, it's a pity, ah, he didn't make it through the preliminary selection, which means he didn't make the final list..."

As soon as he finished speaking, a loud laugh broke out from the audience.

Guo Ranran looked at Song Yinglian with an exaggerated expression, then looked at Diao Yiwen and mouthed, "Not shortlisted?"

Gou Yingbiao went on to say, "His spirit is commendable. I hope he will continue to work hard. But he must guard against arrogance and impatience. He must not be arrogant and look down on others. To be honest, if his colleagues and leaders had not taken good care of him and tolerated him, would he have such a bad temper? I would also like to remind all comrades here not to be impatient when they are a little outstanding, thinking that they are the best in the world and that the higher they jump, the harder they fall. Having a personality is not a good thing... It's a pity that Wang Zixu didn't come today..."

After the meeting, Guo Ranran ran to Diao Yiwen and said excitedly: "Xiao Diao, I got my revenge! That guy didn't make the finals. Haha, I really want to see the expression on his face..."

Song Yinglian came over and frowned, "Don't gloat over other people's misfortunes. Be careful not to offend others."

Guo Ranran lowered his voice and said, "Why are you afraid? He's not here now."

"Someone always passes on the message. Haven't you learned your lesson?"

"Don't say these things to spoil the fun." Guo Ranran turned to look at Diao Yiwen, "How was it? Was it fun?"

Diao Yiwen shook her head and said, "I don't feel any hatred towards him."

"Ugh."

A long, deep sigh came from behind them. The three turned around, but couldn't find who it was.

……

"Boom."

The last bottle of red wine was opened. Wang Zixu held the bottle and said, "Today has already come to this, so let's indulge ourselves. Whatever wine there is in the base, let's just drink it all in one go."

"Drink!" Yingjiang raised his glass first, patted the table with his hand, and asked for wine like an orangutan. He was already drunk.

Wang Zixu burped and handed over the bottle in a daze, but the mouth of the bottle did not match the mouth of the glass.

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

He raised his head: "Who is it?"

Ye Lan ran over and opened the door, and Ning Chunyan appeared at the door like a weapon of war.

She walked in menacingly and everyone stared at her in amazement.

"Wang Zixu!" Ning Chunyan came over and grabbed the dizzy Wang Zixu's arm, "Come with me."

"What?" Wang Zixu asked in surprise.

"You must be going to ask about the situation!" Ning Chunyan said, "There is no way your manuscript cannot be shortlisted. There must be something wrong. How can you not check the manuscript?"

The prince waved his hand and said, "Forget it. I won't say anything to spoil the fun. What's the point of checking?"

"Come with me!" Ning Chunyan tightened his arm.

Wang Zixu pushed her away and said, "Listen to me, I've made up my mind. From now on, I will concentrate on my side business. I can't do literature. It's too difficult..."

"Stop talking nonsense! Follow me!" Ning Chunyan glared at him, "Don't you know? The unit responsible for the finalists this time is the Propaganda Department. There must be someone behind this."

Wang Zixu shook his head: "What's wrong with the Propaganda Department? It's just a coincidence. They're not even close."

Ning Chunyan glared at him: "Propaganda Department! Propaganda Department! Have you not thought of anything yet? Are you still going to deny it?"

She took a deep breath and said a name: "Zhang Qian!"

(End of this chapter)