Chapter 124: Going on a Long Journey at the Age of 8

Chapter 124: Going on a Long Journey at the Age of 8

Chapter 124: Going on a Long Journey at the Age of Eighteen

The girl was wearing a light green sleeveless shirt and denim shorts. She had no makeup and no jewelry. Her hair was long and straight, and her eyes were bright and serious. She was not looking at the world, but looking inward at her own spiritual world. She was thinking about something. As she approached, Wang Zixu felt a dull pain in his chest.

Ning Chunyan admired Wang Zixu who was at a loss, and thought it was great not to tell him in advance. It's not every day that you get the chance to see an ant on the hot pot.

Chen Qingluo walked to the front of the car and noticed that there was someone in the passenger seat. She looked inward and her eyes finally began to look at the world outside her body. Then she found that Wang Zixu was sitting in the car. She stood there woodenly and rubbed her eyes with her hand.

Ning Chunyan lowered the car window on Wang Zixu's side: "What are you standing there for? Get in the car?"

She did not tell Wang Zixu that Chen Qingluo would soon be in the car, nor did she tell Chen Qingluo that another Wang Zixu would appear in the car, so Wang Zixu was not the only one in trouble.

Chen Qingluo lowered her head and walked quickly to the back seat, opened the door, stood there thinking for a few seconds, closed the door again, walked to the passenger door, and opened it like opening a chicken coop before killing a chicken.

"come out."

The prince huddled in his seat, staring at Chen Qingluo's white neck in a daze.

Ning Chunyan asked: "What are you going to do?"

"I want to sit in the passenger seat."

Wang Zixu got out of the car without saying a word, watched Chen Qingluo get into the car, helped her close the door, and then sat in the back seat.

Ning Chunyan watched the two of them being so silent that they seemed to have a tacit understanding, and said, "Why did you want to chase him off? Can't you just sit in the back seat?"

Chen Qingluo looked forward: "I want to sit in the passenger seat."

Ning Chunyan said: "You don't chat with me, and I want to chat with him to relieve my boredom."

Chen Qingluo reiterated her position: "I want to sit in the passenger seat."

Ning Chunyan said, "By the way, let me introduce you to this person. He is the author of 'A Safe Road Ahead'. Don't you like this work very much? You even argued for it. The person you just rushed to the back seat is the author you awarded yesterday. You two must have known each other for a long time, right? Today you finally met officially."

Chen Qingluo closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then said:

"I want to sit in the passenger seat."

"No one is talking about this topic anymore, thank you."

Ning Chunyan was surprised by Chen Qingluo's indifference. She had stood up for Prince Xu many times before, offering advice and help. According to her personality, it would be reasonable for her to extort a meal from him today, but she was indifferent.

Ning Chunyan looked back at Wang Zixu again: "Let me introduce you to this willful, self-righteous, and young lady-like person who only thinks about herself and not others. She is Chen Qingluo. The reason why your manuscript was shortlisted was because of her idea. She also presented you with the award yesterday. How did you feel when you met her today?"

The prince said weakly: "Let her sit in the passenger seat."

"Okay, no need to say more, let her sit in the passenger seat. Sit, sit, sit. That's enough."

Ning Chunyan started the car. After driving for a while, the car with three people in it was strangely silent, and only the sound of the engine could be heard.

Just when Ning Chunyan felt that the atmosphere was becoming increasingly weird, Chen Qingluo spoke up:
“Although the manuscript of “A Safe Road Ahead” is okay, it is a bit conservative in terms of structure and the techniques are very traditional. It is only after other parts have been polished that it can be considered okay.”

Ning Chunyan showed an embarrassment: "Qingluo, the author is sitting in the back. Isn't it a bit strange for you to discuss this with me?"

Chen Qingluo was unmoved, as if she hadn't heard her words, and continued, "So I'm confused. Hasn't the author read any modern novelists? Hasn't he read Kafka or Faulkner?"

Ning Chunyan was speechless and said, "Wang Zixu, did you hear that? Teacher Chen Qingluo said you haven't read Kafka and Faulkner. Have you read them?"

Wang Zixu said: "Yes. Of course I have. Actually, I initially considered writing it in a more trendy way. I tried to write a version and gave it to a friend who said she couldn't understand it. Considering the nature of the competition and the readers' tastes, I was afraid that the manuscript would not be accepted, so I changed it to its current form, with a more traditional narrative style. But it also became longer because of this."

Ning Chunyan turned to Chen Qingluo and said, "Yes. That's what the author himself said."

Chen Qingluo uttered a cool "humph" and said, "If that's what the author thinks, then it's not wrong. When Yu Hua wrote 'At 18, I Went on a Long Journey', he was also considered a pioneering writer, but his subsequent works are not pioneering at all, but each of them is more famous than 'At 18, I Went on a Long Journey'. But the author should be careful not to overdo it. Too many distracting thoughts will affect his creation."

Ning Chunyan said to Wang Zixu: "Did you hear what Teacher Chen Qingluo taught me?"

Wang Zixu said: "I think I may be too self-abased. I have been trying but have never achieved any results, so I have more and more distracting thoughts and am getting more and more frustrated. Of course, this is not self-pity. Please help me thank Teacher Chen Qingluo. I will remember this."

Ning Chunyan said to him, "Why don't you thank her directly? Isn't she sitting right here?"

Chen Qingluo said to Ning Chunyan again: "I think that everything is difficult at the beginning. His short story won some honors this time, and I heard that it was published in Yangtze River. Next, he can try to write a long story. Only long stories can establish an author's status."

Ning Chunyan wanted to grab his head with both hands: "No, why do you all want me to pass on the message? Just chat among yourselves!"

The two were clearly sitting in the same car, but they were both talking to her. If there was no blacklist function in reality, she would have thought that the two could not see each other.

She originally thought that Wang Zixu was the only one with autism, but she didn't expect that Chen Qingluo was also autistic.

She almost doubted whether these two people were both 30 years old. Their childish behavior of communicating with each other through the air made them look as immature as if they were just years old.

Wang Zixu said: "I plan to write a long novel next time."

He didn't answer Ning Chunyan, nor did he seem to be talking to Chen Qingluo, but rather to himself. Chen Qingluo didn't comment either, and the air in the car fell into a strange silence again.

After a long while, Chen Qingluo cleared her throat, looked forward, and her tone became high and low: "At least, you need to publish a work of more than 15 words to officially enter the threshold of creation."

She was like a patient who was finally able to walk slowly on her own after a series of rehabilitation exercises, and she was carefully moving forward, holding on to the wall. She was trying to establish a direct dialogue with Wang Zixu.

Wang Zixu was also nervous. He could hardly believe that he could have a direct conversation with Chen Qingluo after 12 years. Due to the long time between them, he could not find the positions of both parties and could not grasp the degree of the conversation. He also did not do his rehabilitation exercises well.

Ning Chunyan was the only person in the car who had no ulterior motives. She gave up on passing messages to the two of them. They could chat or not, so she started a new topic on her own: "By the way, Wang Zixu, you won the first place in the Xihe Literature Festival yesterday. Did your wife go to see you? Why didn't I see your wife?"

As soon as he said this, Ning Chunyan felt the temperature on his right side drop sharply. Wang Zixu said, "She didn't go."

"Your wife didn't even see you receiving the award? Oh my, that was an appearance in front of the entire city. Wouldn't it be a shame if she didn't see it?"

Wang Zixu said, "It's OK. I talked to her on the phone. She is not familiar with the literary world and is not very interested in literature. It's enough for her to know that this happened. She doesn't care much about it."

Ning Chunyan said: "How could you not care? You must not have explained to your wife the value of this first prize."

Prince Xu said woodenly: "I really didn't explain it very much. But after I told her there was a prize of 100,000 yuan, she was very excited."

Ning Chunyan was shocked after hearing this. She thought of the money Wang Zixu had lent her. She thought that Wang Zixu's wife valued the bonus so much, so their family must not be well off. She asked, "Hey, have you discussed with your wife about lending me 800,000 yuan? How about I return the 800,000 yuan to you?"

Wang Zixu said, "Don't worry, my family still has enough savings. Bank interest rates are not good right now, and there are no ways to invest. I don't know what to do with so much money. Even if I don't lend it to you, I will buy some messy financial products. Don't worry."

After this period of operation, Wang Zixu made a lot of money from the royalties of his articles and novels.

In addition to the 80 yuan he lent to Ning Chunyan, he now has nearly 30 yuan in savings. This is enough. If he transfers the money to his wife on time in the name of royalties, it will last for a long time.

If he didn't lend it to Ning Chunyan, and such a large sum of money was just lying there in the account, he wouldn't know how to explain it to his wife if she found out.

Ning Chunyan was still a little worried: "But I don't have much confidence in the profitability of my magazine."

Wang Zixu said: "You have to try it to know. If the loss is too great, just quit in time. With your income, you should be able to pay back the money."

Ning Chunyan said: "Of course. I will pay you back no matter what."

"Don't worry. I'm glad I can help you."

Ning Chunyan said sincerely: "You are a good person."

"Thank you. You're a good person, too."

Chen Qingluo coughed several times and said in a dry voice: "Did anyone... lend you money?"

"Why did it become 'that someone'? That's Wang Zixu, my good brother."

Chen Qingluo rolled her eyes at the roof of the car: "He who has money is a good brother."

"If you become the editor-in-chief of our magazine, you will also be my good sister."

"Do not care."

Ning Chunyan turned to Wang Zixu and said, "But fortunately, Xihe TV should have a replay of yesterday's awards ceremony. You were also on the local news, so your wife must have seen it."

Chen Qingluo said: "Yeah, I can see a lot of people being jealous of him."

"what?"

Chen Qingluo took out her phone and said, "Didn't you read the comments on the news? It was posted by a public account. There are a lot of people making sarcastic comments below."

"is it?"

Wang Zixu silently took out his mobile phone, opened Xihe’s official account, and sure enough, he saw the news about yesterday’s literary award ceremony.

I clicked on the comments and found that it was not as exaggerated as Chen Qingluo said. Most of the comments were just meaningless "good", "like" and "support".

In addition, there were some people discussing yesterday’s lively scene, wishing Xihe a happy future, and studying who was prettier, Chen Qingluo or Ning Chunyan.

As for the comments that sarcastically claim that they won the award and that the award was pre-determined, they do exist, but they are not numerous and one can tell at a glance that they are from other people who submitted works but were not selected.

Wang Zixu looked up at Chen Qingluo. Because of the back of the chair, he could only see a very limited side view of her face. Her hair hung down at the temples, and was as straight as if it had been measured with a ruler. Her ears were slightly red and very small and delicate.

Can't see her expression clearly.

She would go out of her way to read such news and care about such comments. Chen Qingluo's originally distant figure suddenly became down-to-earth in his heart.

Soon the car arrived at the Plaza Hotel, and the three got out and went upstairs. Along the way, they met many people from all walks of life in Xihe society, who all looked at the trio with sidelong glances.

The literary gathering had just ended, and the three of them had gained a great deal of exposure. Needless to say, the two talented women of the "Xihe Twins" were well-known, and Wang Zixu had also taken advantage of the popularity to become a celebrity, and many people had begun to recognize him.

The three of them walking together in the Plaza Hotel naturally became a rare sight. Especially Wang Zixu, many people cast envious glances at him.

He was originally penniless, but just because he won the first prize, he was surrounded by two beautiful women, which was really enviable.

Entering Professor Zhong Junmin's room, Professor Zhong and Zhao Peilin had already packed their luggage. The three of them greeted each other respectfully, and Zhao Peilin was very surprised and pulled Wang Zixu aside:
"Junior brother, I asked you to bring beautiful women here, but you brought the two beauties of Xihe. Aren't you overestimating me a little bit?"

Wang Zixu said: "I didn't bring them here, they brought me here."

"Awesome. I wish I could have such a romantic encounter if I were you."

"Is this a romantic encounter? I just happened to be going the same way as them. Are you overestimating me a little bit?"

"You spend all day with the two beauties of Xihe, and you're still afraid of not having romantic encounters?"

Before Wang Zixu could sort out the logical relationship, he was called over by Professor Zhong.

"Last night, I discussed your novel with many other people, as well as other works submitted for the competition," Zhong Junmin said. "Among them were judges, senior members of the Writers Association, and some celebrities from various fields."

After a pause, he continued, "I found that everyone has different opinions, all kinds of opinions, but everyone agrees that your work is a level higher than all other works except the one that won the second prize."

After saying this, he concluded: "It is indeed a rare and excellent work."

Wang Zixu bowed his head and spoke a few words modestly.

Zhong Junmin added: "But don't be proud and complacent. I have seen many people who achieved success at a young age, but became too complacent and fell into obscurity. I hope you don't follow in their footsteps."

Ning Chunyan said, "Professor Zhong, you don't know him. How could Wang Zixu be so complacent? He is a very introverted person. When we drove here today, he did a lot of self-examination along the way. As long as others criticize him for something wrong, he will believe it regardless of whether it is right or wrong."

Chen Qingluo crossed her arms and looked at the wall. She was the one who criticized Wang Zixu, but she pretended that it had nothing to do with her.

Zhong Junmin said: "Of course, don't shut yourself up. Nanjing University is full of talents. Your current results are considered as a 'talent' among them. I remind you to be modest and not arrogant, otherwise your mentality will be easily damaged."

Zhao Peilin added with a serious expression: "What Professor Zhong meant is that since you have just made your mark, you will enter a period of advancement. You need to polish your works and quickly write more substantial works to consolidate your position in the literary world. So your mentality is very important. Isn't that right, Professor Zhong?"

Professor Zhong waved him away: "Don't misinterpret my meaning. If you write for status, fame or money, you're falling into the lower class. You should always remember that writing is a way of conveying truth. Of course, what Zhao Peilin said also makes sense in a secular sense, and you can listen to both sides and believe them."

(End of this chapter)