Xiao Ran smiled. "I’ll do my best to make sure we can work together again."
Liu Min handed over the documents she had already printed and signed, which she took from her bag. "Here’s our contract. Please take a look and see if you have any questions."
As her wrist moved, a delicate fragrance wafted over. It was Dior’s J’adore.
The rich floral scent, enfolding the nobility of tuberose, was a fragrance Xiao Ran quite liked.
He took the contract and looked it over carefully. There were no issues.
He picked up a pen and signed his name with two stylish words: Xiao Ran.
He handed the contract back to Liu Min. She first carefully placed it in her bag before giving Xiao Ran a bright smile. "Well, then, let’s add each other on WeChat. It’ll be more convenient to communicate if anything comes up."
In truth, Liu Min didn’t just want to add Xiao Ran on WeChat for convenient communication. She mainly wanted to see his Friends Circle and find out if she might have a chance with him.
After all, she was one of his most loyal fans!
"No problem." Xiao Ran generously opened his QR code and held it out.
Liu Min scanned it and sent a friend request.
Only after Xiao Ran accepted it did she smile. "Um, I’m so sorry, but my work is really busy, so I’ll have to get going. You two take your time and chat."
She really wanted to chat with Xiao Ran a bit longer, but she couldn’t.
An adult’s life is full of obligations, like pressing work deadlines.
"Alright. Take care," Xiao Ran said, still smiling.
Liu Min left, leaving just Shi Guang and Xiao Ran.
Looking at the young man before him, Shi Guang couldn’t help but exclaim, "I never expected you to be so handsome."
To be honest, he had seen Xiao Ran’s ID photo on the back-end system, but he hadn’t thought much of it. The young man who had seemed like a clean-cut, handsome guy back then was a world of difference in person compared to his ID photo.
Xiao Ran gave a frank smile. "What’s the use of being handsome? In this day and age, isn’t money what really matters?"
Just that morning, he had gone through a divorce.
’Without money, people don’t just find you annoying—even a dog wouldn’t give you the time of day.’
"You’re very talented. Your good days are just getting started." As a veteran senior editor, Shi Guang had plenty of experience. "Your book has been successfully adapted. Once you have the first one, the future will be much easier."
He advised him patiently.
The saying ’all beginnings are difficult’ is absolutely true. Many authors aren’t very famous at first, but after an adaptation, their visibility increases dramatically. A lot of people who watch the show will then come looking for the book.
Many who read one book will go on to read a second, leading to an explosive growth in readership.
And as long as your next book is as good as the last one, it’ll have an even greater chance of being adapted.
There are actually many examples of this in the industry. For instance, Ahnai had three of her five books adapted. Then there’s Mao Da, Tang Qi, and Third Young Master. Of course, they’re all top-tier authors.
But who’s to say Xiao Ran couldn’t become one of them?
As an editor, Shi Guang was truly dedicated—so dedicated that he had read every single one of Xiao Ran’s books. And honestly, the writing was genuinely good.
To turn an editor who’s read countless books into a fan, the work had to be absolutely outstanding.
He felt that Xiao Ran was very capable; it was just a matter of time.
’Maybe his earlier books will get adapted, too. It’s not impossible.’
Besides, he was still writing consistently. Becoming a hit was only a matter of when, not if.
"By the way, you haven’t started a new book in half a year. Have you thought about a topic? What will the new one be about?" As an editor, even while being encouraging, he still had to press for a manuscript. Hearing this, Xiao Ran pursed his lips. "To be honest, it feels like I’ve already written about all the topics I can. I really don’t know what’s good to write about now."
"Why not try a dual female lead?" Shi Guang smiled. "You’ve been writing single female leads for so many years. Aren’t you thinking of a change?"
To be honest, the single female lead subgenre was the most niche in the romance market.
First came multiple female leads, then dual female leads, and only then single female leads...
Xiao Ran shook his head. "No, I’m not changing!"
Shi Guang raised an eyebrow and suggested, "I’ve noticed you always write the aloof, ice-queen type of heroine. Why not try the ’girl-next-door’ type this time?"
’The girl-next-door type?’
Xiao Ran fell into deep thought...
’To be honest, writing about the aloof, sophisticated lady type so much has gotten really old.’
’Using the same character archetype over and over... I don’t know if the readers are tired of it, but I sure am. But the ’little sister’ type, I’ve never touched on that before.’
’If she’s not so aloof, the character won’t be as one-dimensional, and there’ll be more room for fun.’
’This could work!’
Xiao Ran nodded. "Alright, let’s try the ’little sister’ type!"
...
Two hours passed without them noticing. The sun slowly set in the west, and the fiery evening clouds looked as if they were about to set the entire sky ablaze.
That was the one bad thing about summer. Even the afterglow of the sunset felt harsh on the eyes.
On a tree-lined path at Jiaotong University, a girl with long, beautiful legs walked with a hurried pace.
Her ponytail swung back and forth behind her.
She was on her way to the deli to buy her brother-in-law his favorite fried chicken and beer!
Just that afternoon, she had seen her sister’s Friends Circle post about having a "single’s party." In the photos, her sister was smiling brightly. It had been a long time since she had seen her smile so happily.
’But seeing that smile, in that setting... I wonder if brother-in-law will be heartbroken if he sees it.’
To keep her brother-in-law from being sad, she decided to throw a party for him, too!
’If my sister can have a happy party, so can my brother-in-law!’
’It’s just a party, after all.’
’I’ll set one up for him!’
’Tonight, I’m making at least eight dishes to celebrate!’
’From now on, my brother-in-law is the top priority!’
’I’ll make up for my sister’s mistakes.’
The girl weaved through the bustling streets, bathed in the afterglow of the sunset, and finally took her place in the long line outside the fried chicken shop.
Her gaze, darting left and right, eventually settled on a cake shop not far ahead.
Looking at the exquisite cakes in the glass display, the girl decided she should buy her brother-in-law a cake, too.
’A divorce is a new beginning!’
’It has to be celebrated!’
’Celebrated properly!!!’
’It’d be best to invite a few of my brother-in-law’s friends, too.’
’Anyway, he only has two or three. I don’t have their contact info, but that’s okay. My brother-in-law has a habit of writing down phone numbers by hand!’
Xiao Ran was actually a very meticulous person. He didn’t just save his friends’ numbers in his phone; he also wrote them down in a notebook.
She had asked him once why he did that.
He said that way, if he ever lost his phone, he could call them using the numbers in his notebook, and then scammers with ill intentions wouldn’t be able to trick his friends.
’Look at that. So thoughtful and considerate. Even if he lost his phone, he still wanted to make sure his friends wouldn’t be scammed.’
’I really don’t understand why my sister would leave such a warm and considerate person.’
In fact, her sister and brother-in-law hadn’t just argued once or twice. They often gave each other the silent treatment.
Yan Xici had tried to talk to her sister about it.
Unfortunately, her sister was too overbearing and would always hastily end the conversation with the excuse that Yan Xici was just a child who didn’t understand anything.
Lost in her thoughts, her turn came quickly. The girl picked out the biggest piece of fried chicken.
Only then did she pay, satisfied. Holding the fragrant fried chicken, she walked toward the nearby cake shop.
After careful consideration, she finally chose a cake with blue frosting, topped with an Ultraman and a group of little monsters.
’I heard every boy has an Ultraman dream, and my brother-in-law is a boy, too.’
’After this ordeal, I hope he can still believe in the light!’
’Everyone needs some light in their life!’