Chapter 289: 1 Half God's Work 1 Half Perfunctory

Chapter 289: Half Masterpiece, Half Perfunctory

Based on Gu Lu's knowledge, the most impressive short story adaptation in terms of adaptation copyright is Stephen King's "Children of the Corn", which has been filmed seven or eight times.

After Gu Lu read the plot of "Lottery" in his mind... Hey! Gu Lu found that the core of the two short stories was somewhat similar. Shoe cult, evil rituals, closed locations, the writers of Cornfield have always added more buffs.

"Teacher Gu, this is the innovative part of our Xinhua Bookstore." The store manager's dressing style looks young despite his old age.

What does it mean to look young when old? He is wearing a dark striped Polo shirt tucked into his pants, revealing a conspicuous black leather belt. I wonder if it is Septwolves.

There was no keychain attached to the belt, and the lower body was a pair of slim-fitting suit pants, but the shoes were blue Anta sneakers. It was just... very weird.

There must be some story behind this outfit, but Gu Lu is not interested in knowing it, because every female (or male) classmate is a person with a story.

After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the store manager took Gu Lu on a tour.

On the third floor of the bookstore, looking past the bookshelves, the southwest corner looks like a children's playground. The small benches made of building blocks and even the bookshelves are smaller than the others, and from a distance, they still look like foam plastic.

Inside are displayed all of Gu Lu’s works to date, as well as some cultural and creative peripherals published by the publishing house.

If you want to buy peripherals, you should go to Sisyphus Bookstore. Books take up one-third of the store space, and peripherals take up two-thirds. There may even be a Sisyphus coffee shop next to it. It is also known as one of the four wallet killers in shopping malls, along with MINISO!
"This is our Gu Lu children's area." said the store manager.

The main focus is on Gu Lu's works, and other children's works are supplemented. After all, Gu Lu's current publications, even if one book occupies one column, the three pink bookshelves in the corner cannot be filled.

"Xinhua Bookstore is promoting minimally invasive reforms. Our store is the only bookstore in the country with a special section for children." The store manager introduced.

Gu Lu seemed to have some impression of this in his previous life. There was a Jin Yong section or something, but it all failed later. Because it was useless for sales and was just too fancy.

Gu Lu didn't say anything, because it was good for him. There were three places in the bookstore where his books could be seen: the bestseller section, the children's sales section, and the Gu Lu children's corner.

It also helps with sales.

After a walk around, the store manager kindly invited Gu Lu to have dinner together in the evening, saying that he wanted to thank Gu Lu for taking the time out of his busy schedule to help.

"No, no, I have some writing arrangements when I go back today." Gu Lu refused.

It’s good to be famous.

Even if the store manager wanted to make friends with the great writer, he didn't try to persuade him.

"It's my first time cutting a ribbon. It's quite interesting. Can I keep this pair of scissors?" Gu Lu asked as he took out a pair of scissors from his pocket.

"No problem, of course no problem." The manager agreed.

Earlier, when Tian Xiao asked him to help throw away the test paper with typos, it was an experiment. If the composite object was returned, the work would disappear.

Before leaving, Gu Lu bought two books.

The opening of a new store is still a good sign.

"It's not in vain."

Gu Lu stretched and went out to buy groceries. As usual, he put his MP4 in his pocket and put on his headphones.

But what is playing is not music, but English words. This is a trick summarized by Li Guyuan. Just put on the headphones and listen to the words repeatedly.

"occupation, profession, photograph..."

Regardless of whether you are serious or not, he believes that it is just like listening to a song, if you listen to it many times, you will naturally be able to sing a few lines. As for words, if you listen to them many times, when you learn them, you will feel familiar with them, and you will get twice the result with half the effort.

After King Guru’s actual experience, it is quite useful.

I bought some meat from the market, and then fried it with the kimchi that the fat boss had given me. I don't know what this dish is called, but it goes well with rice!
Finish the day's work after dinner.

It is worth mentioning that Sato, the vice president of Neon Baitongshe, still wants to make another effort and ask Gu Lu for an article.

Some people have their eyes open, but they are already asleep, such as when they are slacking off at work.

Some people closed their eyes, but they were still awake, as if Gu Lu was reading a book in his mind.

"Lottery", half a masterpiece, half a piece of trash. How come it is almost the same as the online novels he wrote in his previous life? Gu Lu read all 25 short stories of the Gothic Queen that he had drawn. The wonderful chapters are terrifying when you think about them carefully. Reading late at night, Gu Lu felt colder and colder the more he thought about it.

At this moment, a strong man took back his feet.

Even though Gu Lu didn't see anything Gothic about it, it was definitely something.

Although at least ten of the articles were spam or deliberately confusing, Gu Lu still maintained the principle of making minor changes as much as possible. If the topic was really inappropriate, he would omit it.

For example, the article "Witch". It doesn't look like something a Chinese person could write, as it contains remnants of witch-hunting culture. The most important thing is that Gu Lu is not sure whether this article will be banned because of the bloody violence.

Chapters such as "The Possibility of Evil", "The Lottery", "Go Home, Louisa", and "Random Thoughts" are all very good.

"Let's do the short story."

"I'm not trying to prove how great I am, I just want to get back what I lost. Champion Wen!"

……

Well, just kidding, it doesn’t matter if it’s a winner article or not. Because even if the readers who like to send in questionnaires are a fixed group, as time goes by, no matter how good the article is, it will not be so impressive.

What's more, when the magazine is published, it is possible that there are new readers who have subscribed and have not read the champion's article.

So there is no need to be persistent. Gu Lu has a deeper plan. After finishing the serialization of the dozen or so articles in the lottery, he will sort out the short stories and publish a collection.

With Yao Xiaoju around, there is no problem translating it into English. This type of work is more popular in Europe and the United States.

“The Queen of Gothic is here, can Stephen King be far behind?!”

Stephen King's short stories are all of high quality!

Gu Lu fell asleep.

Whatever you think about during the day, you will dream about at night, so King Guru dreamed that he would become rich.

The next day, Gu Lu slept in, and was then woken up by Zhou Lin's phone call, and went out physically.

Gu Lu didn't know where to go, so he followed Zhou Lin in confusion. Plus, he was a little sleepy, just like a confused Husky being led out of the door.

The school agreed to lend her for two days, and today is the first day.

"Being mysterious?" Since the other party didn't say anything, Gu Lu didn't ask and just sat there calmly.

After a ten-minute drive, we arrived at a small fly shop.

[Li Su Restaurant], the owner's name is Li Su. But it seems like the name is wrong, the owner is fat, probably he only eats meat.

Gu Lu was confused. In a small restaurant, the chefs cut the vegetables themselves. Being an all-round chef is very tiring. Forget about being thin. Why can't he even maintain a normal figure?

It was opened on the first floor of a residential building, and the kitchen was placed directly outside the store, so it was open-air. It was not in line with the rules, but in the past one or three years, the management was not so strict.

Compared to other fly-infested restaurants, you can tell that the owner of this restaurant is very clean. There is no dust on the top of the freezer, and no grease on the stove.

There's no need to be so secretive about inviting me to dinner, right? Gu Lu just thought to himself.

I saw a familiar person - wait, there were several familiar people.

Chen Na, Zhao Juan, Jiang... I forgot what they were, but we were junior high school classmates.

There were seven or eight people sitting around the round table. On the table were cold dishes such as sad jelly and smashed cucumber. As for the hot dishes, the boss Li Su was still cooking outside!

Chen Na and Jiang Meiqi, who were sitting, stood up immediately when they saw Gu Lu coming.

"Why is Gu Lu here?" "Long time no see." The two greeted Gu Lu.

What's going on! Gu Lu turned his head and looked at Zhou Lin.

Zhao Juan is moving away in two days, so today she gathered her good friends together for a farewell dinner.

There were three unfamiliar girls, who were Zhao Juan’s high school classmates.

"Is he Gu Lu?" "The great writer who graduated from No. 37 Middle School and then studied at No. 8 Middle School?" "He's alive. I finally saw him alive." Zhao Juan's high school classmates were a little excited.

It’s similar to the reaction of ordinary people when they suddenly see a celebrity. They want an autograph whether they like it or not.

Zhao Juan didn't invite Gu Lu, just like when she was a kid and went to her grandmother's house in the countryside to play. When she was leaving, she definitely didn't want her grandmother to see her off. Because it would be very, very painful to part with someone you care about.

She looked at Zhou Lin, who winked at her playfully.

"Did I come at a bad time?" Gu Lu asked as he looked at the scene.

How could it be a bad time? Chen Na immediately said, "Didn't I tell you before that Juanzi is going to another province with her parents. Today is a farewell party. Juanzi wanted to invite you, but she was afraid that you didn't have time, so she didn't dare to ask."

Dare not speak up? This is not like Zhao Juan's personality. Looking back at the third year of junior high school, Zhao Juan was the type of person who could not help but speak out when conflicts arose.

"Right, I think Guru and Juanzi are such good friends, it would be unscientific if they didn't see each other before leaving," said Zhou Lin.

Zhao Juan thought that it was Chen Na who invited Gu Lu, but she never thought that it was Zhou Lin. Zhou Lin must have seen her performance at Gu Lu's birthday party before... "Let's sit together." As the host tonight, Zhao Juan asked Gu Lu to sit down. She also followed Chen Na's words to ease the embarrassment.

Then again, it's possible that one's personality has changed since entering high school. Gu Lu withdrew his gaze, and he and Zhou Lin sat down.

It was true that the old classmate was leaving, and Gu Lu really wanted to come and see him for the last time.

There are high-speed trains and airplanes now, but everyone knows that Zhao Juan and her family have gone to other places. There is a high probability that she will be away from home during high school and college, and we don’t know when we will meet again.

We sat down. The table for ten was full.

But except for Gu Lu, the rest are female classmates.

With the addition of Gu Lu, the focus of the conversation became how to write a novel.

As expected, at least eight out of ten students have written their own works, but only a few of them can be published. This has nothing to do with whether the writing is good or not, but simply because they are too shy to show it to others.

"When I was in junior high school, Gu Lu wasn't that famous yet, but I felt he was different." Zhao Juan is very talkative.

"Really? I don't believe it!"

"When I was in junior high school, Gu Lu seemed to have no sense of existence in the first and second year of junior high school."

"Yes, yes, I remember that too. I became famous just before I graduated."

……

After chatting for a while, the dishes were served.

The main dishes include shaved pork soup, double-combination dry pot and Maoxuewang.

There are also several meat dishes.

Plus, they're mostly girls, so that's completely enough.

"Boss, we didn't serve this dish." Zhao Juan pointed to the last plate served.

"I heard this while cooking just now. This is Gu Lu, the author of The Little Prince, right? My sister's child likes this book very much. If he knew that Gu Lu came to eat at my restaurant, he would definitely be envious. This stir-fried pork kidney is my specialty and is a gift." said the boss Li Su. He was happy that a great writer came to the restaurant.

Gu Lu also successfully scanned his face and quickly thanked his boss.

By the end of the meal, the joyous atmosphere began to dissipate.

Because parting is always accompanied by sadness.

But the banquet will eventually end, and Zhao Juan will pay the bill.

"Sister Nana, come with me to send our classmates back home later." Zhou Lin said.

"Ah? Oh, no problem, I have experience in this area." Chen Na seemed to understand, and she felt that Zhou Lin was a good person.

So, when Zhao Juan came back after paying the bill, only Gu Lu was left at the door. Gu Lu also understood that this was a deliberate attempt to keep him and Zhao Juan together.

He looked at the shop owner, Li Su, and thought he wanted to take a photo or something, after all, he had given her food. But she didn't even mention it, she was just happy.

The two of them walked forward along the path.

We walked for several minutes, and although we didn't say anything, it wasn't awkward at all. After all, the path was quiet.

"Long time no see, you've grown taller!" Zhao Juan gestured, and said, "I almost look up to you."

This height is definitely not just about height.

To be more precise, it refers to Gu Lu's reputation. As soon as he appears, he attracts everyone's attention. Even bosses who are strangers to him will take the initiative to send food to him.

Gu Lu suddenly stopped, squatted down, and looked up at Zhao Juan, "What about now? I am the one looking up at you."

Zhao Juan was amused, and then said seriously, "Hurry up and get up. As an old classmate, I definitely want you to be as tall as possible, preferably taller than everyone else."

It is very easy to tell from the tone that Zhao Juan's blessing is sincere.

"Why should I be so tall? I'm not Yao Ming and I don't have to represent the country in the competition," said Gu Lu.

"Then I also hope you grow tall." Zhao Juan waved her hands to the sky, "How magnificent are the young people of China, and our country has no borders!"

Gu Lu said, "Then I also hope you can be tougher. Don't refuse others when they ask for help."

"I have changed a lot after the last incident, really!" Zhao Juan said immediately.

"I believe you. In fact, I admire you for being selfless." Gu Lu said, "I can't be a volunteer like you and help others at the same time."

"I didn't help much. My mother told me that appearance is determined by the heart. If you help others more, you will become very beautiful and feel better," said Zhao Juan.

Is that so? Gu Lu did not comment.

The two of them chatted with each other as they walked from the small path to the main street and then to the intersection.

Originally, Gu Lu wanted to send Zhao Juan to the car, but the latter refused to agree.

"After all, it's my treat today, so the guest should follow the host's wishes." Zhao Juan said.

Then Zhao Juan sent Gu Lu to a taxi.

Zhao Juan didn't look away until the car sank into the busy road.

……

Several days after the farewell banquet.

"Deputy Editor Xue, we are going to have a dinner party later, do you want to go?"

Editor Wang, who had just joined the editorial department of Xinrui Reading Magazine, came to ask questions. He was 26 years old, unkempt, and his hairstyle was determined by his sleeping posture at night.

The overall sluggishness of the physical publishing industry, the successful reform of "New Reading" and the competition mechanism have brought vitality both inside and outside.

It is one of the very few magazines that not only laid off editors but also expanded the editorial team.

"A moment?" Xiao Xue checked the time. "It's still early. You guys go ahead. I'll finish reviewing my private manuscript."

It's already past five fifty and they are getting ready to get off work.

But the boss didn't leave work... Editor Wang hesitated, and he exchanged glances with his colleagues secretly.

Do you want to stay and deal with it too?
"Oh, if you want to go eat or have a party, you don't have to wait for me." Xiao Xue said, "I usually eat around 8 or 9. Besides, I'm working overtime voluntarily, so don't worry about me."

This sounded fake, and even though he was new to the workplace, he would not take polite words seriously. Editor Wang shook his head and wanted to say that he was also willing to work overtime. But before he could say anything, he was stopped by his colleague next to him.

"You need to have a good rest," Xiao Xue said, "You are the future of the magazine. Drink less tonight."

After Xiao Xue's reminder, he lowered his head and prepared to read the private manuscript.

If you work as an editor for two more years, you will definitely have private manuscripts. Because you will become familiar with the authors after dealing with them for a long time, I can only say that the quality of private manuscripts varies. The ceiling of the quality of Xiao Xue's private manuscripts is the No. 1 student writer in China. It's a pity that he has changed his career and will no longer touch the horror and supernatural works that he started with.

"Editor Xue, we are leaving now," "Editor Xue, please take care of your health," "We are leaving now now"...

As he spoke, the new editor Wang was pulled away by his colleagues.

It was not until they left the office building that Editor Wang, whose hairstyle and expression were as dull, asked in confusion whether he would be retaliated against for doing so.

"Brother, you just came to the company and you are not used to it yet. Let me ask you, when did you see Editor-in-Chief Xue leave before us?"

Editor Wang has been working for two weeks. After thinking carefully, it seems that there really is no such thing.

"Don't even think about it. There definitely isn't one." The colleague said, "In our editorial department, Deputy Editor-in-Chief Xue is always the last one to leave. The door to the company is always guarded by Chief Editor Xue."

"Yes, I remember the president asked Editor-in-Chief Xue to work less overtime. But it was useless. It was useless at all."

"He comes the earliest and leaves the latest. Although I don't like his enthusiasm for everything, I absolutely respect him when it comes to work."

Editor Wang was shocked when he heard this and asked a question unconsciously, "Is Editor Xue the illegitimate son of our magazine boss?"

"It shouldn't be. Editor-in-Chief Xue said that if your boss doesn't get promoted, how can you get promoted? So you know what happened to Vice President Dong? It seems like he was pushed up by Editor-in-Chief Xue."

Xiao Xue is definitely a young and promising person. As a 29-year-old deputy editor-in-chief, he is definitely outstanding in an editorial department where seniority is the key factor in determining one's position.

Yes, that makes sense. Editor Wang feels that he should learn from Editor-in-Chief Xue.

Well, let’s start from tomorrow!

A little common sense: when you make up your mind to do something, if you don't start immediately, but start at a certain time, you have already lost half the battle.

People who work hard may not necessarily have good luck, but they will be able to seize opportunities when they come, just like Xiao Xue who is still working hard in the editorial department.

(End of this chapter)