Just wait, your moment of triumph won’t last long either.

“Teacher Gu, is this young Cheng really from Yandu? Is he Jia You’s classmate?!”

On the way, Cheng Xueming parted ways with Liu Xinwu and Feng’s mother. Cheng Xueming headed straight to Yandu University to pick up Feng Jiayou after school, while Liu Xinwu and Feng’s mother first returned to their workplace.

During the drive back, Liu Xinwu remained full of curiosity about the author Old Xu, whom Teacher Gu had brought along today. The two seemed very familiar with each other!

So familiar, yet how did The Horse Herder end up being submitted to Li Qingquan’s Yanjing Literature?

Moreover, at the old leader’s place today, it seemed as if everyone tacitly avoided asking about Cheng Xueming’s identity. They merely introduced him as Old Qiao, author of The Factory Director’s New Appointment, and Old Xu, author of The Horse Herder, whose real name is Cheng Xueming.

As for the rest—where he works, or where he studies—no one inquired further.

Thus, even now, Liu Xinwu is unsure whether this young Cheng is truly, as Teacher Gu says, her daughter Feng Jiayou’s university classmate, a student at Yandu.

“Cheng... he’s half a student at Yandu, I suppose,” Feng’s mother nodded. Though her son-in-law isn’t officially a Yandu student now, with his abilities, there’s almost no doubt he’ll pass the entrance exam next year. Recently, he’s been accompanying his wife to study at Yandu, so calling him a prospective Yandu student isn’t far off.

“Huh!? He either is or isn’t—what do you mean by ‘half’?” Liu Xinwu rolled her eyes, clearly confused by Teacher Gu’s explanation.

“He’s technically not enrolled at Yandu. His wife is, and he accompanies her there to study. I hear he’s preparing for next year’s college entrance exam, aiming, just like his wife, for Yandu,” Feng’s mother said with a smile, half truth, half jest.

At this point, it wasn’t that Feng’s mother was deliberately keeping Liu Xinwu in the dark; it was just that revealing it now would make Gu Xueqing seem boastful. After all, her son-in-law had just been praised as a ‘timely rain’ by the powers that be—a rare honor. To claim him as her son-in-law would be flaunting.

Better to wait. Let Liu Xinwu learn about their relationship from elsewhere, and then Feng’s mother could simply say, “It’s nothing much.”

“Really? This young Comrade Cheng is quite inspirational! I must pay him a visit at Yandu someday, have a good chat,” Liu Xinwu said, surprised but not pressing further. She only hoped Cheng would finish revising his manuscript soon, so they could submit it to Old Wu for review and publish it in their October issue.

Then, she’d drop an atom bomb on Li Qingquan—leave him utterly dumbfounded.

“Oh, Old Liu, Teacher Gu, I was about to head home! I’ve been waiting all morning for you here at October!”

One can hardly mention him without him appearing. As soon as Liu Xinwu and Feng’s mother stepped into the courtyard of October, they saw Li Qingquan pushing a bicycle, ready to leave.

Seeing Liu Xinwu arrive, Li Qingquan lifted his eyelids and, with a touch of feigned displeasure, greeted her.

“Old Li, what brings you to October? Isn’t Yanjing Literature swamped right now? I hear you’re even reprinting?”

Liu Xinwu quickly leaned her bike to the side and stepped forward, greeting him with surprise.

Leaving the old leader’s office earlier, Liu Xinwu had secretly vowed: this time she’d drop an atom bomb for Li Qingquan to see. She’d go straight to Yanjing Literature and show off to him.

But who would have thought Li Qingquan would beat her to it, coming to October to show off!

“Old Li, long time no see. Did you return from launching satellites?” Feng’s mother, Gu Xueqing, wheeled her bike forward and joked.

“No, no! Teacher Gu, don’t say that. Thanks to your daughter, our Yanjing Literature is truly overwhelmed this time!”

“We’re reprinting! Another 100,000 copies printed!”

Li Qingquan was full of pride, practically floating as he continued, “And Teacher Gu, Old Feng greeted us, wanting to feature our Horse Herder in the headline of China Literature. I’ll have to visit and thank your Old Feng properly!”

“Oh, and from Humanities Press, they want to publish Horse Herder as a standalone book!”

---

“Show-off! Li Qingquan, you’d die if you didn’t show off! What do you mean by ‘thanks to Teacher Gu’s daughter’? Don’t spout nonsense about October’s blind editors rejecting the manuscript and recommending the Horse Herder’s author Old Xu to submit to Yanjing Literature!”

Liu Xinwu pretended she might kick Li Qingquan and cursed, “Don’t make things up! We checked and rechecked—Old Xu, author of Horse Herder, never submitted to October!”

“Otherwise, you’d have nothing to brag about, Li Qingquan!”

That’s where Liu Xinwu’s grievance lies.

Though Young Cheng isn’t a Yandu student, Teacher Gu’s strict standards for her daughter led to October’s reputation for being harsh and picky, causing many promising new Yandu authors to send their manuscripts instead to Yanjing Literature—nothing to do with Young Cheng!

But since Cheng was at Yandu accompanying his wife, he counted as half a Yandu student—surely influenced by that reputation.

Otherwise, at first, Yandu’s new students, thanks to Teacher Gu’s daughter Feng Jiayou, almost always chose October as their first submission.

So missing out on Cheng’s Horse Herder left Liu Xinwu somewhat resentful!

She’d mentioned it during their chat today, even asking directly; Young Cheng was shy and didn’t respond, but his bashfulness showed he’d been influenced. That made Liu Xinwu all the more aggrieved!

Still, good things aren’t afraid of coming late. Young Cheng’s next piece, The Factory Director’s New Appointment, is a real atom bomb for October!

Just wait! The more Li Qingquan shows off now, the more stunned, envious, and regretful he’ll be when October publishes its bombshell.

In short: for every ounce of regret Liu Xinwu felt before, Li Qingquan will feel twice as much afterwards.

“Indeed, Old Li, thanks to Yanjing Literature’s reputation, our workload at October has increased!”

Feng’s mother, Gu Xueqing, echoed.

“No, no! Old Liu, Teacher Gu, I, Li Qingquan, didn’t make anything up; it’s all rumors without basis!”

Li Qingquan waved his hands—he wouldn’t admit it. Maybe the rumors started from Yanjing Literature, but he would never confess.

“Rumors? I bet you started them, Li Qingquan!” Liu Xinwu retorted, then got to business, “By the way, Old Li, you haven’t said why you came to October and waited all morning. Don’t say you’re here just to invite me to lunch! You still owe me a meal!”

“Actually, Old Liu, you guessed right—I did come to invite you to lunch!” Li Qingquan glanced at the sky and added, “But look, I’ve waited all morning, and lunchtime’s long gone!”

“Nonsense! Old Li, you’re just teasing me!” Liu Xinwu glared. “Lunch hour’s passed? Perfect, the old leader’s place was too formal, and I didn’t eat my fill. Old Li, no time like the present—invite us now!”

“You ate? Eat what? Wait—where did you eat lunch? The old leader? Old Wu?” Li Qingquan shook his head, not planning to invite them now; lunch hour was over. But suddenly he realized—where did Liu Xinwu have lunch?

The old leader?!

Liu Xinwu’s old leader was his own—the one responsible for their cultural sector, Old Wu!

But what a joke! He, Li Qingquan, had launched such a big satellite, yet the old leader didn’t even invite him for tea. How could Liu Xinwu get a lunch with the old leader?

Nonsense!

Li Qingquan simply didn’t believe it.

“Who else could it be but Old Wu?” Liu Xinwu looked up at the sky, feigning indifference. Today was truly a good day!

Just back from lunch with the old leader, and Li Qingquan was waiting at home for him—if not now, when could he show off?

“Oh, and Old Mao and Teacher Ding joined us. The meal was so formal I barely ate anything,” Liu Xinwu added.

“Nonsense!”

---

“You sound so convincing, but I don’t believe a word!” Li Qingquan was dumbfounded, unable to respond for a while.

He laughed and shook his head, refusing to believe it—no way would the old leader invite Liu Xinwu to lunch.

And even more ridiculously, Liu Xinwu claimed Old Mao and Ding Ling were there too!

Damn!

That sort of treatment—even Old Ba from Shanghai wouldn’t get it. How could Liu Xinwu?

It’s nothing but nonsense!

“Really? I’ve heard October is launching satellites too. Could it be true?”

“Whose manuscript did you secure?”

Li Qingquan was nearly laughing to tears, but seeing Liu Xinwu’s calm expression, he had to quiet himself and ask, astonished.

“Ahem! Whether it’s a big satellite, you’ll know when October publishes! Personally, I don’t think it’ll be small!”

“As for whose manuscript, with Old Mao and Ding Ling both present, Old Li, you should be able to guess! Really, if you think, it’s not hard to figure out!”

Back then, Li Qingquan had dangled the bait over the phone, leaving Liu Xinwu eager. Now, Liu Xinwu was returning the favor—letting him wait.

Wait until October publishes, and Li Qingquan realizes they’ve lured back Old Xu, author of Horse Herder—will he be so shocked he spits blood?

“Damn, Old Liu, you’re serious?!”

Li Qingquan was now stunned. With Old Mao and Ding Ling involved, Liu Xinwu’s satellite couldn’t be small!

But he hadn’t heard a whisper—whose manuscript did Liu Xinwu secure?

With Old Mao and Ding Ling present at lunch, the author could only be a handful of people.

Who could it be?

“Not bad, not bad. When the time comes, Old Li, I hope you’ll honor us with a critique. You’re the sharpest reviewer we have. If you don’t comment on Horse Herder, it’ll lack soul!”

Li Qingquan’s face twitched—Liu Xinwu was relentless!

“Damn, forget it then. See you!”

Li Qingquan didn’t want to stay any longer. He came in high spirits to show off, but ended up outdone by Liu Xinwu.

Now he had to hurry back and arrange for someone to find out what satellite Liu Xinwu had launched.

“See you, see you. I won’t see you out!”

“Oh, Old Li, you never said why you waited for me all morning. Was it really just to invite me to lunch?”

Liu Xinwu waved at Li Qingquan, then recalled Old Li hadn’t explained his purpose for coming.

“Next Thursday, we’re holding a symposium for Old Xu, author of Horse Herder. You and Teacher Gu should come along!”

Boring!

Li Qingquan, riding his bicycle, didn’t even look back as he spoke.

…

PS: Asking for monthly votes, thank you!