The 70s Novel: The Supporting Character Just Wants to Lie Down-Chapter 56: What to Do When Reality Disappoints
After the engagement banquet, life in the Wang Family returned to normal. However, the prospective son-in-law of the Wang Family came over quite often, almost every day for dinner, and lingered around without wanting to go home.
Of course, he didn’t come just for a free meal; he brought enough rice and flour to last a month and occasionally brought some meat or a fish. Thanks to him, the living standard of the Wang Family improved significantly.
One day, when it was pouring rain, Liu Yulan simply set up Wang Jia Bao’s room again, where Wang Zhaodi used to sleep, and let him stay over.
Once he stayed, it was hard to stop. The Wang Family felt as though they had gained a live-in son-in-law, as he spent ten of fifteen days a month staying there.
Oh well, since it was already acknowledged, and since the Yang family’s elders had no objections, the Wang Family turned a blind eye and let it go.
While Wang Miaomiao was feeling like a third wheel in all this bliss, the letter she sent finally had a reply.
However, when she opened the letter and read the content, she felt the harsh blow of reality, unable to bear it. She vaguely remembered that during those ten years, publishing articles in books and magazines didn’t earn royalties, and any rewards were probably just some stationery or something...
Therefore, the letter contained a great deal of praise and admiration for her work, along with a request for more work, but there was no mention of corresponding royalties; it only stated that if the sales were good, they would seek a reward for her.
They hoped she would continue to actively and enthusiastically engage in creation, contributing to enriching the reading interests of the general public...
What a miscalculation!
Reward? Ha ha...
With a heavy heart, Wang Miaomiao packed away the two completed books and one unfinished one, along with the plain paper and crayons, shoving them into the bottom of the box!
As for the letter, there was no need to reply to it; she just tossed it into the drawer, out of sight, out of mind. She was not so noble and leisurely as to engage in volunteer work; she might as well lie around like a salted fish.
Little did she know, far away at People’s Publishing House in Sea City, editor Shi Zhenghe was checking daily with the guards to see if there were any letters from J City; he was absolutely eagerly awaiting.
This year, the nation had made some reforms to book publishing, encouraging the release of diverse types of books to meet the reading needs of the general public.
With many letters coming in and going out daily, a few days had passed before Shi Zhenghe found Wang Miaomiao’s letter.
Upon seeing the Magic Holy Star’s picture book, he was instantly drawn in by the story and the art style; both were very novel. Although he was unsure if it would sell as a standalone release, he wanted to try. He decided to print a hundred copies to test the waters.
To his surprise, the hundred books were sold out within two days at just one sales point... and quite a few people came asking for more.
Recognizing a business opportunity, Shi Zhenghe was thrilled. He immediately wrote to the author, urging for more drafts.
After all, the publishing house has to eat too...
Trouble came to light when he reported the news to the president, Yu Xinwen, asking for his opinion on increasing the print run and by how much.
Yu Xinwen took the picture book and flipped through it, "The subject is new, the artwork unique, it’s very good. We can increase the print run. Have you contacted the author? When will the subsequent drafts be ready?"
Because on the last page it read, "To be continued... Please look forward to the second installment, Magic Holy Star’s Light Descent."
Upon reading it, Yu Xinwen also offered his opinion, "If it’s serialized, it’s best if we can release one per week."
"It’s been seven days since I sent out my letter, and there’s been no reply," Shi Zhenghe said, somewhat anxiously. Given the proximity between J City and Sea City, the letter should have arrived in three days, and a reply should have been received by now...
Yu Xinwen frowned, "Let’s wait three more days; hurry and increase the print run, and we’ll see how the sales go. If sales are good, I will personally go and discuss with her."
A good author is truly hard to find, and the publishing house really needs fresh blood.
Neither Shi Zhenghe nor Yu Xinwen would wait for Wang Miaomiao’s letter; three days later, when Yu Xinwen heard that the picture book was sold out again, he decisively took Wang Miaomiao’s address and set off.
The August day was hot and stifling. Farmers, being practical, adjusted their work hours; in summer, with longer days and shorter nights, they usually went to work at dawn and returned home when it got dark, freeing up the hottest part of the day at noon, so they didn’t have to work in the fields and risk heatstroke.
At ten in the morning, with the sun baking the earth, Wang Miaomiao was wearing a straw hat, picking vegetables in the back garden for lunch, unaware that a distant guest had arrived at the main entrance. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶
Yu Xinwen, having made several transfers, first took a bus to J City, transferred to Red Star Town, and then asked for directions to Shanghuang Village at the Red Star Commune, even borrowing a bike to find his way there. Even with his strong middle-aged body, it was an exhausting journey.
"Excuse me, is He Miao home?" Wang Miaomiao had used her pen name, and the address she sent in her letter was indeed correct.
"He Miao?" Wang Pandi shook her head, "No one by the last name He lives here; you must have the wrong place."
"No? Isn’t this Shanghuang Village in Red Star Town? Look, the address on the letter matches, including the house number," Yu Xinwen urgently replied, handing the letter to Wang Pandi.
Upon seeing the address, which was indeed her home, she said puzzledly, "What’s going on? He Miao? Miao Miao? Wait a moment, I’ll go ask my sister."
Wang Pandi went home and shouted towards the backyard, "Miao Miao, come here, hurry."
"Okay..." Wang Miaomiao picked a couple more cucumbers, picked up her basket, and went indoors, "Sister, what’s up?"
"Miao Miao, there’s a man at the door looking for ’He Miao’..."
Upon hearing this, Wang Miaomiao’s expression shifted, she pursed her lips and frowned, somewhat taken aback, "He’s looking for me; I’ll go take a look."
Yu Xinwen, whom Wang Pandi hadn’t invited in, was standing outside in the sunlight, feeling somewhat dizzy from the heat, mopping the sweat off his forehead with a handkerchief.
Standing at the doorway, Wang Miaomiao saw a middle-aged man wearing gold rimmed glasses, "Who are you? Are you looking for me?"
"Are you He Miao?" Yu Xinwen looked at the young girl in front of him, somewhat incredulous, "I’m Yu Xinwen from Hai City Publishing House." He never imagined that the author of such a mature art style would be a young girl.
"Oh... please come in and sit." Wang Miaomiao was equally surprised; she thought the issue had blown over, but she never expected someone from Sea City to come looking for her; what should she do now?
Given the heat, there was mung bean soup brewed at home to help cool off, so Wang Miaomiao invited him in and served him a bowl of mung bean soup.
Yu Xinwen wasn’t shy either, given how hot he felt; he downed a bowl of mung bean soup with satisfaction and expressed his gratitude.
There were only two girls at home, no adults, and Wang Pandi, worried about her sister, stayed to listen to their conversation.
"Are you He Miao, the author of this Magic Holy Star?" Yu Xinwen took out the printed picture book from his bag and placed it in front of Wang Miaomiao.
