Chapter 33

Chapter 33

‘From my professional perspective, coupled with the success of your first novel, I’m offering you 150 yuan per thousand words,’ Lin Nan said.

‘However, there’s one condition-the word count must be at least over 100,000.’

Every associate editor had the power to exceed the standard price once a year.

If you were a first-level author, the most you could get was 1,030 yuan.

But using this exceeding power elevated you to a new price stage.

Upon receiving Lin Nan’s message, Jiang Xu was quite surprised.

He originally thought that for his second book, getting 60 yuan per thousand words would be pretty good.

Under these generous conditions, Jiang Xu naturally wouldn’t refuse.

His planned word count for this book was around 150,000.

Moreover, he was aiming for it to be adapted for the screen in the future.

If he finished writing it, after tax, he would have over 20,000 yuan.

Right away, he agreed.

Lin Nan was delighted and promised to deliver the contract to him as quickly as possible.

The conversation ended.

Jiang Xu cooked a meal for himself, ate, and served to his parents.

Then, he went to a nearby electronics superstore to buy a notebook.

Always going to the internet cafe was time-consuming and taxing and didn’t make sense.

During that period, notebooks were still quite expensive.

The price started from at least 5,000 yuan.

Among all the brands, Lenovo was the most popular.

However, for some reasons, Jiang Xu would absolutely not touch this brand.

In the end, he chose an HP one, priced at 6,800 yuan.

He paid and left.

The money he made from selling clothes was almost all spent.

Once he got home, Jiang Xu started writing.

His expectations for this book were relatively high, so he was writing at a slower pace.

Only 3,000 words per hour.

After writing for two hours, he finished 6,000 words.

After checking for typos, he saved his work and went to bed.

Having lived once before, he knew all too well how damaging staying up late was to his health.

In his former life, in order to work on projects, he often didn’t sleep until two or three o’clock.

It resulted in him being always tired and experiencing premature hair loss.

The next day, Jiang Xu woke up on time.

He washed up, read books, made breakfast for himself and left one for his parents, then opened his notebook to continue writing.

Taking advantage of this Saturday, he planned to write more.

If he wrote for ten hours, that would be 30,000 words.

…

Zhou Qingyue got up very early.

She went to the post office to check if she had received any mail.

After a long search, she found the letter sent by Story Society.

She was delighted.

She took the letter.

Once home, she took a deep breath before opening it.

Upon seeing the words ‘invitation to sign a contract’, she jumped with joy on the spot.

Afterwards, she read the rest carefully.

The main content was that they liked her work and proposed a contract.

The price was 10 yuan per thousand words.

‘What a high price.’ Zhou Qingyue murmured, happily counting on her fingers, ‘If I write a thousand words a day, I’ll have 450 yuan a month.’

Then she thought of An Nuonuo and snorted, ‘I am about to become a successful author, what can you compare with me?’

She could practically see the near future.

Jiang Xu admiring and loving her, while An Nuonuo was heartbroken, licking her wounds in a corner.

Thinking of this, she couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

…

‘Sister Xiaoyuan, Sister Xueer, hello.’

In Jun Yue’s orchard, An Nuonuo politely greeted the other two girls.

Jun Yue’s biological sister, Wang Xiaoyuan, just graduated from university this year.

Jun Yue’s childhood neighbor, Chen Xue’er.

“Hello Sister Nuonuo.” Chen Xue’er greeted with a playful smile, a hint of contempt flickering in her eyes.

An Nuonuo’s dress and apparel…

On a good day, it would be described as plain, on a bad day, as downright shabby.

She even sported such an outdated hairstyle.

Brother Junyue, how could he ever like a girl like this?

Aren’t Brother Junyue and I a perfect match?

Wang Xiaoyuan approached and took An Nuonuo’s hand, “Nuonuo, it’s been years since I last saw you, you’re more adorable than ever.”

An Nuonuo whispered, “Sister Xiaoyuan is so pretty.”

Unlike Chen Xue’er, Wang Xiaoyuan genuinely liked An Nuonuo.

Originally, she was supposed to go shopping with her girlfriends today.

But she was dragged here by her brother.

Mainly, to put An Nuonuo at ease.

After such a long time not seeing each other, meeting one on one in an isolated fruit orchard… one could predict what the other was thinking.

Junyue said, “Enough chatting, let’s get to grape picking.”

Jiang City is in the south where the grapes ripen in June and July.

The orchard of Junyue’s family is massive, growing more than twenty types of fruits.

This was An Nuonuo’s first time in a place like this, her eyes filled with wonder.

She felt like everything was new and exciting.

She wished, if only Jiang Xu could have been here too.

Unconsciously, it was already late afternoon, nearly six o’clock.

“No need, that’s too much, I can’t possibly finish it all.”

Before saying goodbye, Wang Xiaoyuan and Junyue kept stuffing An Nuonuo’s bicycle basket with fruit.

The basket on the back of the bicycle was filled with all kinds of fruit.

Jun Yue laughed and said, “Girls should eat more fruit, your uncle and aunt can also have some.

Once you’re finished, tell me and I’ll personally deliver more.”

“Thank you, Brother Junyue, thank you Sister Xiaoyuan.” An Nuonuo was deeply moved.

Junyue thoughtfully offered, “How about I give you a ride home, you have so much to carry.”

“No need, I live close by, I’ll take my leave then.”

“Goodbye.”

“Take care on the road.”

Watching An Nuonuo ride away, Wang Xiaoyuan said beaming, “That girl isn’t bad, she has a great temperament, and is very virtuous.

And that figure, you can tell she is very fertile, you’ve got a good eye, little brother.”

“Naturally.” The affection in Junyue’s eyes was evident.

It was by chance that he’d discovered this dull-looking, rustic girl was actually an uncut gem.

Upon closer inspection, he found out she was the little sister he played with in the village when they were young.

So he deliberately arranged a casual encounter.

The only thing bothering him was the annoying fly buzzing around her.

Upon hearing this conversation, Chen Xue’er was naturally upset, but didn’t voice it.

“Okay, I’m stepping back, you have to handle from here by yourself.”

Wang Xiaoyuan stretched, her form-fitting clothes revealing her superb figure.

Then she took out a Storybook from the back pocket of her jeans and started reading as she walked.

The recently published “Those Miserable Years of Youth” was very much to her liking.

The writing style was excellent and the story highly engaging.

She felt as if she were seeing her own vanished youth.

She had already read it several times.

…

“Three thousand words, done!”

Jiang Xu stretched, his mind a bit foggy.

Asides from cooking, eating, and delivering meals to his parents, he spent the entire day typing.

Tomorrow, if he made some time, he should be able to write around ten thousand words.

Glancing at the time, it was already past six.

Shaking his head, he wondered whether that girl An Nuonuo had gotten home yet?

He should get cooking first.

Upon closing his computer, he left his room.

He was about to enter the kitchen.

Outside, An Nuonuo’s clear and pleasant voice rang out, “Jiang Xu, are you home?”