First encounter with workplace difficulties
When they arrived at the company apartment building, Qi Xu was still fast asleep.
Li Mofeng called her several times but received no response, so he got up, opened the back door of the car, and planned to carry her upstairs.
As soon as he approached, Qi Xu suddenly opened his eyes, staring at him with a furrowed brow: "What are you going to do?"
"We've arrived at the apartment. I'll take you back to your room."
Qi Xu didn't respond. He got out of the car from the other side, said a faint thank you, and walked into the apartment building while replying to Hao Nan's WeChat messages.
Li Mofeng watched her figure disappear into the stairwell before starting the car and leaving.
Back in her little nest, Qi Xu instantly shed all her fatigue, as if all the meridians in her body had been unblocked. Lying on the soft bed, she quickly fell into a deep sleep.
After resting, Qi Xu devoted himself to creating comics.
On the other side, at Mingde High School, senior students are giving their all to prepare for the college entrance examination, with piles of practice questions and test papers.
For Hao Nan, there were still endless butterflies to fold. He always felt that these butterflies were trapped in a magnificent cage, and he didn't know when they would find a way out.
Qi Xu's drawing skills are actually excellent, but because she is too young and has little work experience, many novelists are unwilling to let her take on comic adaptations.
Li Mo had finally secured the opportunity to adapt "Wan Lü" for her, but her boss suddenly called and designated Hong Ming to take over.
Li Mo felt helpless and sorry for Qi Xu, who was still engrossed in painting. She walked over to her and felt a pang of heartache.
She glanced at Hong Ming, who was also extremely busy beside her. Although Qi Xu had joined the company earlier than Hong Ming and was more talented, the opportunity was ultimately given to Hong Ming.
"How about we give it to Qi Xu? I'm so busy I can barely breathe." Hong Ming knew that Qi Xu had always worked very hard and felt that she deserved a work that would allow her to shine. She herself was also under a lot of pressure.
"This is something you earned through your own abilities; it's your glory." Qi Xu looked at Hong Ming and gave her a gentle smile.
"Hongming, take this one. This is what the author has assigned." Li Mo looked at Hongming, her tone serious.
Hong Ming nodded and accepted the task.
Qi Xu sat in his seat, holding a cup in his hand. After a moment of contemplation, he took out his phone and started searching through the author sections of various novel platforms.
She wasn't looking for a blockbuster novel, nor an author who had created one, but rather an author whose work was of average quality, low-key yet with a certain level of exposure. This way, she could ensure exposure without drawing too much attention.
Ciyan, you can stop my development in the company, but you can't stop me from forging my own path. I will definitely surprise you.
Just as she was about to exit the interface, a name caught her attention, and she immediately searched for all information about this author.
Yin Er is a writer whose representative works include "Feng Xiuli", "You Are Among All the Flowers" and "Stars in My Eyes".
I liked his works very much in my early years, but when he was writing "Sweet Romance", he suddenly retired from writing just as he reached the climax. Some people said that he stopped writing because of a breakup, and many readers believed it. After all, it was originally a super sweet novel, but the plot gradually went off track, and he had no choice but to stop writing in the end.
Later, many new novelists rose to prominence and gradually overshadowed his brilliance, but there were still some loyal fans, such as Qi Xu, who lingered in his works.
After packing his things, Qi Xu knocked on the door of Li Mo's studio.
"Please come in." Li Mo looked at Qi Xu as she walked in and sighed helplessly. Such a talented person, yet she lacked a work that would allow her to showcase her talent.
"I would like to ask for leave."
"Take a few days? Forget it, go ahead and relax. You can come back anytime you want."
Qi Xu swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue, replied with an "Mm," and turned to leave.
Back in his apartment, Qi Xu immediately searched for information about the author of "Silver Ear" on his computer.
She remembered adding him on WeChat before he became famous. She scrolled through her WeChat contacts and actually found him.
Hello, Ms. Yin'er, I'm your fan.
The writer of the silver ear mushroom dessert was clearly surprised that someone would still remember her after all these years: "Um, is there something you need?"
There's something very important I'd like to discuss with you, is that alright?
Qi Xu didn't have high hopes, but after a long time, the other party sent a location.
[See you at Yu Xiang Cafe at 12 o'clock sharp.]
【good. 】
Qi Xu sat in the coffee shop early and waited until she was almost asleep, but the writer of Silver Ear Fungus still hadn't shown up.
An hour had passed, and it was almost 1 p.m. She leaned back in her chair, intending to take a short nap.
Actually, the writer had arrived long ago and was sitting at another table enjoying his coffee.
He just wanted to see what kind of person this girl was and whether she had the patience, since painting requires a lot of patience. So far, he had a pretty good impression of Qi Xu.
He slowly stood up and walked towards Qi Xu: "Sorry I'm late."
Qi Xu was startled, but didn't dwell on his lateness. He just smiled and said, "Hello, Teacher Yin Er, my name is Qi Xu, and I'm your fan."
"What important thing do you need me for? Can't we talk about it on WeChat?"
“I always feel that saying it on WeChat is not as sincere as meeting in person.”
He stared intently into Qi Xu's eyes, trying to discern something, but to no avail: "You don't know who I am?"
"I know, you are a writer specializing in silver ear fungus."
He smiled faintly and said, "Yes, that's right."
"I would like to acquire the comic book adaptation rights to your novel."
"Why would you choose me? Besides, my novel hasn't been popular for a long time, so you won't get any benefit from it." He paused, then added, "If you were really that talented, there are plenty of wildly popular novels out there right now. Since no one has approached you, why do you think I would give you the adaptation rights?"
"Teacher Yin'er is right. My skills are indeed average, and I am nothing compared to those big shots. But that doesn't mean I have no ability," Qi Xu said neither humbly nor arrogantly. "Moreover, while the company's support is important, the potential of the work itself cannot be ignored. I believe in your work."
"You're very young, aren't you?"
"Just turned 18."
He quite admired this girl named Qi Xu; she was ambitious. He just didn't know if her abilities matched her ambition.
“Now, take this paper and pen and draw a picture of any character from my novel,” he said. “As my fan, you should know them.”
"The protagonists in Yin Er's novels are almost never described in terms of appearance; their character is brought to life entirely through their words and actions. He had previously asked many cartoonists to draw them, but they all felt that they were lacking something, so he eventually gave up."
If Qi Xu can draw an image that satisfies him, then he might as well give it a try.
Qi Xu borrowed paper and pen from the front desk and pondered the characters in his works. In the end, she settled on the strict mother in "Sweet Love".
Thinking of this character, Qi Xu's expression darkened slightly, and he then picked up a pen and began to sketch on the paper.
Time passed slowly, and she finished the drawing. She checked it carefully one last time before handing it to the silver ear fungus artist.
He hadn't had high hopes, but when his eyes fell on the drawing, his eyes lit up.
The paper depicts a middle-aged woman who is not the traditionally mean-spirited type. She is well-dressed, even elegant, and her hair is neatly styled.
But Qi Xu used extremely refined lines to outline her eyes, which were like solid icicles, with an unquestionable scrutiny and a trace of deep-seated weariness.
The woman's posture was not exaggerated; she simply raised her chin slightly and placed her hands clasped in front of her, yet she exuded an invisible, suffocating sense of oppression.
This is exactly the character he portrayed in "Sweet Love," who binds the protagonist with invisible shackles, scrutinizes everything with cold eyes, and is himself trapped in the cage of "rules" and "expectations."
Although this character has some imperfections, no one is perfect. For a girl who has just come of age, it is already remarkable that she can draw to this level. Her future is limitless.
Seeing the appreciation in the writer's eyes, Qi Xu's tense nerves finally relaxed. It seemed that she had passed the test.
"Seven or so."
Qi Xu, who had just relaxed, was startled by the call and almost stood up.
"What's wrong, Teacher Yin'er?"
"You're amazing. I'm giving you the copyrights to all my novels. I hope you won't let me down."
"Thank you for your recognition, Ms. Yin'er. I will definitely work hard!"
He looked at Qi Xu with a smile in his eyes: "Little girl, you will definitely achieve something great."
Teacher Yin'er turned to leave, but was stopped by Qi Xu, who handed her paper and pen: "Could you sign your name for me?"
The author smiled and said, "Of course." He quickly signed his name.
"You can contact me on WeChat if you need anything." He took a few steps, then turned back. "You just focus on drawing, and I'll take care of everything else."
After saying that, he left, leaving Qi Xu standing there in a daze. However, she didn't think much of it, still immersed in the joy of getting her idol's autograph.
Back in his apartment, Qi Xu reread Yin Er's novel and then began creating his artwork.
The author of the silver ear fungus painting told Qi Xu on WeChat that he would send her the completed manuscript directly, and he would be responsible for its publication. This was exactly what Qi Xu had planned, saving her a lot of trouble.
But Qi Xu always had a feeling that he was seen through by him, and that he knew everything about what he thought and did. This feeling grew stronger and stronger.
While I was lost in thought, the author of the novel "Silver Ear Fungus" sent me a message: 【What's your pen name?】
【Xiao Qi.】
She uses the pen name "Butterfly" at the company, and has a corresponding account, while the pen name she uses for the writer "Silver Ear" is "Little Seven," and the two do not conflict. It's the same person, different names, and different things they do.
Even if "Xiao Qi" becomes famous and well-known to the world in the future, she can simply stop writing and leave those who want to find "Butterfly" at Mingcheng Company with nowhere to go. That would be a good way out.
Hao Nan and others were working hard to answer questions in the examination room, while Qi Xu was striving hard in his own career.
After some time, Qi Xu completed half of the comic book manuscript for "Feng Xiuli" and sent it all to the author Yin Er.
He arranged everything for Qi Xu, publishing one chapter every day, with the cartoonist credited as "Xiao Qi".
The comic adapted from "Feng Xiuli" quickly became a trending topic. The exquisite artwork and the handsome men and beautiful women in the characters were a refreshing sight, and even the novel by the author Yin Er became popular again.
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