All-rounder Artist

“What is this?”

YangFeng asked Chu Kuang via a text message.

Only after having his meal did Lin Yuan see the message and he replied, “Isn’t it the article you guys commissioned from your company? The commissioner’s name is Yu Rong, and they claimed to be the editor-in-chief of Fun Reads magazine. Did 1 fall for a scam?”

Lin Yuan felt slightly relieved.

Fortunately, he was quick-witted enough to send his article to YangFeng at Silver Blue Books, who was in charge of King of the Net. If that person, claiming to be Yu Rong, wasn’t from Silver Blue Books, Lin Yuan wouldn’t have lost anything.

“He isn’t a scammer.”

YangFeng replied with a mixed expression.

Seeing that Chu Kuang didn’t respond further, YangFeng abruptly stood up from his seat and made a call to the editor-in-chief, “Editor-in-chief, you must step in this time. Yu Rong dared to commission a manuscript from Chu Kuang behind our backs!”

“What?”

The editor-in-chief on the other end of the phone sounded angry, “Always guard against outsiders, but it’s hard to prevent a traitor. Yu Rong dared to commission Chu Kuang behind the back of our Youth Fantasy Department. Does he even take us seriously? I’m at the company, I’m going over to the magazine department to settle this!”

Many companies had started the New Year holiday.

Even during the holidays, there were people on duty at Silver Blue Books. Those who had to work were locals from Su City, and their salaries were five times the regular pay. Despite the heavy workload, many were willing to work during the New Year’s holiday.

After hanging up the phone.

The editor-in-chief of the Youth Fantasy Department, 01′ Xiong, went straight to the magazine department. He spotted the director of the magazine department, Yu Rong, almost immediately: “Old Yu, aren’t you guys being a bit underhanded, commissioning manuscripts from Chu Kuang behind our backs?”

“01′ Xiong, those are harsh words.”

From the moment Chu Kuang said he sent the manuscript to YangFeng, Yu Rong knew something was off. Therefore, he had mentally prepared himself. “1 was just about to inform you guys. Coincidentally, you’re here. Sit down and have some tea. We’re all colleagues.”

“Don’t play dumb.”

Despite the odd looks from nearby employees, 01′ Xiong tersely responded: “Chu Kuang’s ‘King of the Net’ provides us with a hundred thousand words every month. There’s no need for me to explain how high the sales volume is. Now you’re asking him to write more, isn’t this going to affect his creation?”

“I can’t be blamed for this.”

Yu Rong was also getting anxious: “Even if I don’t commission Chu Kuang, he would still publish short stories on the Tribe platform. I have high hopes for the quality of his short stories. Instead of posting them for free on the Tribe platform, why not publish them in our ‘Fun Reads’? It’s one of our company’s top magazines.”

“It’s a fleeting interest.”

01′ Xiong’s anger flared up even more: “But you’re encouraging his interest in writing short stories. People only have so much energy. After writing the short stories for your magazine, how much energy does he have left to update ‘King of the Net’?”

“He’s volunteering.”

Yu Rong coughed once.

He should have informed in advance about such matters, but Yu Rong knew that 01′ Xiong, in order to ensure the stable update of ‘King of the Net’, probably wouldn’t agree, which is why he took the ‘forgiveness is easier to get than permission’ approach. However, it ended up backfiring.

“Are you deliberately poaching?”

“How can it be called poaching when we’re in the same company?”

“You’re just jealous of our performance!”

“01′ Xiong, that’s going too far.”

Both editors were genuinely angry this time, arguing in front of their staff. It wasn’t until someone called over the executive editor that both sides cooled down a bit, but even the executive editor held his head in his hands, “Stop shouting for a moment, let me look at the manuscript.”

Quickly, YangFeng sent the manuscript to the executive editor.

The manuscript was titled The Gift of the Magi, which was only about three thousand words, so the executive editor could finish reading it quickly.

However, what surprised 01′ Xiong and Yu Rong was…

The executive editor, after reading the manuscript, stayed unusually silent.

Upon closer inspection.

Both were stunned.

Because the always serious and authoritative executive editor now had red-rimmed eyes and even carefully wiped away a tear.

Did the executive editor cry from anger?

Both of them were startled.

Yu Rong nervously said, “What’s wrong, executive editor? It’s the New Year. We had a small disagreement. You don’t have to be this upset.”

“Exactly.”

01′ Xiong no longer had the gall to argue, “Since Chu Kuang agreed to it, I won’t say anything else. Seeing as he dared to accept the task shows he’s confident he can handle both.”

Both of them had never seen the executive editor like this before.

Without acknowledging the two, the executive editor with red-rimmed eyes got up and made a phone call with a slightly hoarse voice, “Immediately book me a flight home, I want the earliest one.”

“Executive editor…”

Now 01′ Xiong and Yu Rong were genuinely panicked.

The executive editor was originally supposed to stay for the New Year and not return home. But now, just because of their small argument, he ended up crying from anger!

He’s not even planning on doing his work!

The executive editor said as he glanced at the two of them with his red-rimmed eyes, “Do you know how hard it was for me when I first started my business?”

“Huh?”

The executive editor ignored their confusion and continued, “I remember during the hardest times, my wife and I could go a day with just plain water and bread. Later, my wife found a job cleaning at the school cafeteria, so every day at noon, 1 would go to the school cafeteria under the pretext of seeing her, and scrounge for food. The taste of soaking in free soup was truly fragrant.” 01′ Xiong instinctively asked, “What happened after?”

The executive editor subtly smiled, “Later, my wife moved into a luxurious villa and tasted all kinds of delicacies???? however, she has to take care of my

parents in that villa. When she eats the delicacies, she usually eats alone would you say we were happier before or now? It’s New Year. I miss my wife. I need to spend time with my family. As for those of you from here, 1’11 have to trouble you to work a bit harder. I’m counting on you.”

After finishing, the executive editor gave a slight bow and then turned to leave.

Yu Rong called out in shock, “Executive editor…”

The executive editor suddenly stopped, “Hm, by the way, get me an autograph from Teacher Chu Kuang. Tell him that I am a fan of his books.”

This time, the executive editor really left.

But 01′ Xiong and Yu Rong seemed to realize that the catalyst for this incident was not just their conflict.

Because for the first time in all his years at Silver Blue Books, the executive editor publicly admitted that he was a fan of a certain author at his company.

A novel!

It was the novel!

The two of them quickly came back to their senses, not arguing any longer, and each let YangFeng send them a copy of The Gift of the Magi.

This might be the source of the executive editor’s change of heart.

After 01′ Xiong left.

Yu Rong couldn’t wait to start reading The Gift of the Magi. He wanted to see what was written in the novel that made the executive editor even abandon his work.

The novel was short.

While reading the book, Yu Rong had no particular reaction.

But when he reached the end of the novel, Yu Rong was stunned. He couldn’t help but clutch at his temples and cry out in pain:

“Ah!”

Now he completely understood the executive editor’s strange behavior. The power of the text was terrifying. People who have had similar experiences often read other people’s stories and shed their own tears, especially when faced with such a stunning ending in the novel The Gift of the Magi!

“Boss, what’s wrong?”

One of the employees couldn’t help but ask.

Yu Rong slumped in his chair, “Chu Kuang told me to quote a price after I finished reading…. how can I dare to quote a price for such a novel…”