Chapter 43: You Don't Believe It? Well, I Do!

"Please give me a receipt... and also, could you tell me how to get to Qingshui County No. 2 Middle School?"

Geng Zhi handed the money to the guesthouse receptionist, retrieved his letter of introduction, and took the opportunity to ask for directions.

That afternoon, he had suddenly received "good news." After a comprehensive review by the publishing house, it had been decided that he would be the one to liaise with "Seven-Inch Blade" to finalize the publication of *Lurking* as soon as possible.

Geng Zhi was filled with pent-up frustration, nearly exploding on the spot.

*(Is this not asking me to clean up after Feng Bo? Whoever made the mess should be the one to eat it...)*

However, in the end, Geng Zhi swallowed his anger. He truly saw potential in *Lurking* and was determined to make one more effort for it.

The problem was that Feng Bo had played a trick and hadn't been clear with Geng Zhi about the phone call to Principal Chang. Thus, Geng Zhi was unaware that someone from another publishing house had already reached Li Ye. Upon arriving in Qingshui County, his plan was to check into the guesthouse first and earn a travel allowance.

In those days, when units sent staff on business trips, there was no way to "buy receipts"—the only way to make a little extra was through the daily travel allowance. Today was his first day, and tomorrow would be his second. While the allowance wasn't much, it was enough for his family to have meat twice or to upgrade the quality of the cigarettes he smoked for the month.

Just then, Geng Zhi caught a glimpse of a middle-aged man in glasses exiting the guesthouse and then taking off at a dead run.

*(What's wrong with this guy? Is he being chased by a dog?)*

"Here is your receipt. Turn left out of the guesthouse, and it's about a mile away." The receptionist handed Geng Zhi the receipt and pointed out the direction.

Geng Zhi took a look, and it was exactly the same direction the man running from the "dog" had taken. A thought stirred in his mind, followed by an inexplicable sense of panic.

*(Since it's still early, why not go to No. 2 Middle School first?)*

Geng Zhi stepped out and headed toward the school. Qingshui County was located on a plain, and the main streets were long and straight. In the distance, Geng Zhi could see Dong Yuejin, who was panting heavily and gasping for air from running too hard.

Geng Zhi looked left and right, deeply puzzled.

*(There isn't even a dog chasing him!)*

But the next moment, he saw Dong Yuejin look back at him, only to sprint off even faster.

"Is he looking at me?"

Geng Zhi subconsciously guessed at a possibility and couldn't help but quicken his pace. Geng Zhi was much younger than Dong Yuejin, and since the latter had already lost his breath, he couldn't shake Geng Zhi off.

Watching Dong Yuejin enter the school, Geng Zhi still couldn't figure it out, but when the gatekeeper, Old Man Liu, stopped him, he realized something was wrong.

"What are you here for? Who are you looking for?"

"I'm from Dahe Publishing House, looking for Li Ye."

"Another one from a publishing house? Are you with the guy who just went in?"

"..."

"Damn it."

...

By the time Dong Yuejin reached the first repeat-year class, panting with his mouth wide open, Li Ye and his classmates were busy grabbing their enamel mugs, heading toward the cafeteria in a swarm that clogged the hallway outside the classroom.

Dong Yuejin fought his way against the crowd, pushed his way to Li Ye, swallowed hard, and said, "Li Ye, I've checked with the house. Your royalty rate can be increased to 8 yuan per thousand words."

Li Ye was slightly surprised. Only a few hours ago it was 5 yuan, and now it was suddenly 8. Something must have happened in the interim. Otherwise, given the efficiency and rigid thinking of the 1980s, this situation would never have occurred.

Since you're in a hurry, I'm not.

Li Ye smiled gently and said, "Editor Dong, let's not rush. Let's eat first and then talk slowly, shall we?"

*Talk slowly, my foot!*

Dong Yuejin pulled a stamped contract directly from his bag, took out a fountain pen, and handed it to Li Ye, trying to persuade him like a devil tempting a lamb.

"Li Ye, believe me, no one will offer you a higher price. Your book is nearly 300,000 words. As long as you sign this contract, you can get 2,400 yuan in royalties in at most two days."

"Whoa!"

"My god, 2,400 yuan!"

"What on earth did Li Ye write to get that much money? He... he didn't do anything illegal, did he?"

"If you can get 2,400 by breaking the law, you go and do it for me to see..."

The students crowded in the hallway were in an uproar. They all stood on tiptoes to look at Li Ye, who was surrounded in the middle, as if looking at a shimmering money tree.

2,400 yuan in the early eighties could build several large tiled houses, buy over a dozen bicycles, or marry dozens of wives. For an ordinary worker with a monthly salary of thirty or forty yuan, it would take years of saving to amass 2,400 yuan.

The reason Dong Yuejin announced this figure on the spot was to stir up the shock of the surrounding students and use that momentum to stun Li Ye into submission.

In this era, a young man like him would surely see stars and comply once he heard such a large sum of money. To be fair, for a new author, 8 yuan per thousand words was indeed a generous price; it was only the intrusion of Dahe Publishing House that forced Dong Yuejin to resort to this little trick.

But Li Ye was someone who had seen "big money" before; how could he be easily swayed?

He shook his head and gestured to the students around him, saying, "Editor Dong, look around. This isn't exactly a good place for a conversation, is it?"

"I..."

Dong Yuejin wished he could pin Li Ye down right now, grab his finger, and force him to sign the contract just like a landlord forcing a peasant to sign an indentured document. But looking at Li Ye’s harmless, smiling face, Dong Yuejin felt a profound sense of helplessness.

*(This kid is a slippery one... no, he's a cunning businessman.)*

"Excuse me, which one... is student Li Ye?"

Geng Zhi appeared at the end of the hallway, his gaze bypassing the swarming students and landing precisely on the contract in Dong Yuejin's hand.

A dozen arms pointed straight at Li Ye, and the helpful classmates chimed in unison, "He's Li Ye!"

Geng Zhi squeezed over, glanced at Dong Yuejin, and extended his hand. "Hello, student Li Ye. I am Geng Zhi from Dahe Publishing House, and I am now in charge of the publication of your novel..."

"Another one from a publishing house? This is truly rare."

The surrounding students stopped heading to the cafeteria and crowded outside the classroom to watch the spectacle. They had never heard of, let alone seen, two publishing houses fighting over one student.

Li Ye asked Geng Zhi curiously, "Isn't your publishing house the one where Feng Bo was supposed to be my point of contact?"

Geng Zhi felt annoyed, but explained, "Feng Bo just happened to pick up the phone. In fact, I have been in charge from the very beginning."

"Oh, I see," Li Ye said, beaming with joy. "Then let's go eat first. My treat. We can talk slowly, okay?"

...

Half an hour later, in a mutton soup restaurant outside the school, the three of them sat in silence, no one speaking.

The bidding war Li Ye had anticipated did not occur. Dong Yuejin and Geng Zhi, whether by coincidence or some unspoken understanding, suddenly reached a tacit agreement to engage in a "cold standoff" with Li Ye.

But having lived two lives, how could Li Ye not see through their little ruse?

He slurped down his mutton soup, greeted the two of them, and prepared to leave.

"You two take your time eating; I'm going to class. If you have anything to discuss, you can reach out to me individually or talk together—it doesn't matter."

Geng Zhi immediately lost his composure. Judging by how Dong Yuejin had been sprinting earlier, he was absolutely certain that Dong Yuejin would try to talk to Li Ye alone.

Anyway, empty promises didn't cost a cent, so Geng Zhi spoke up: "Student Li Ye, could you let me see the manuscript first? Please rest assured, our Dahe Publishing House has first-class capabilities and can offer you the most favorable terms."

Li Ye scratched his head and said modestly, "My manuscript has just been finished, and I still feel there are some shortcomings. I should probably have a few senior experts look it over to finalize the version before asking for your corrections!"

"..."

*(Are you looking for people to look it over? You’re going to submit it to other publishing houses, aren't you?)*

Geng Zhi gritted his teeth in frustration, and Dong Yuejin shook his head helplessly. There were many publishing houses in the country; while they might not be able to offer better terms, it would certainly make things complicated.

*(Give up? Wouldn't that mean handing the profit to someone else on a silver platter?)*

Dong Yuejin exhaled a breath of frustration and said firmly, "10 yuan. 10 yuan per thousand words. This is the sincerity of our Blue Sea Publishing House."

Geng Zhi looked at Dong Yuejin in surprise; in a flash, he seemed to see a tragic hero.

Li Ye blinked and asked, "What about royalties based on print volume?"

*(You even want print-run royalties?)*

Geng Zhi stared at Li Ye, eyes wide, suddenly feeling that letting Feng Bo handle Li Ye was a match made in heaven.

Dong Yuejin smiled and said, "I cannot answer you about print-run royalties immediately. However, we have recently established connections with several literary media outlets in Hong Kong. We can recommend your novel there. The royalties there are very high. If they take an interest in it, not to mention thousands, even tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of yuan is possible."

"Pfft! Do you even believe that?" Geng Zhi scoffed, turning his face away.

Because Qingdao accounted for 80 percent of the province's export share, it was indeed easier to establish connections with the outside world, but how much integrity did those connections have? Moreover, how could a novel with such obvious thematic leanings as *Lurking* be picked up by Hong Kong media?

Not only did Geng Zhi not believe it, but even Dong Yuejin didn't believe it himself.

But to their surprise, that cunning little crook actually... seemed... to believe it.

Li Ye’s eyes suddenly became bright with greed.

*Damn, you have such an awesome connection? You should have said so earlier!*

A novel like *Lurking* might not work.

But I have *Legend of the Dragon!*

*Grave Robber's Chronicles, Ghost Blows Out the Light*—what genre do you want?

If all else fails, I have various angsty romance novels for female readers; shall we have a friendly exchange with Aunt Chiung Yao?