No matter how worried Xu Zhixia was, it was time to set off.
Zhou An sent her to the dock, watched her leave, and then slowly returned home.
Xu Zhixia let out a long sigh, a look of determination flashing in her eyes. Now all she could do was to finish the matter as quickly as possible and then go home.
Because she had greeted Shen Ran in advance, she saw the sign waiting to pick her up as soon as she got off the train.
Unlike what she imagined, Shen Ran was wearing glasses and looked a little taciturn.
Xu Zhixia walked over, stretched out her hand and said, "Hello, I'm Xu Zhixia."
Shen Ran was stunned. He didn't expect Xu Zhixia to be such a beautiful lesbian.
A flush welled up on his face, and he stammered, "Hello, Comrade Xu...Xu."
Xu Zhixia couldn't help but jokingly said, "When you corresponded with me before, weren't you quite boastful? Why are you so reserved now?"
Obviously, he didn't respond, and the redness on his ears became even redder.
Xu Zhixia simply stopped teasing him and changed the subject: "The magazine has arranged accommodation for me, right?"
Shen Ran came back to his senses and nodded quickly.
He straightened his expression and said, "Yes, I'll take you to rest first."
He had often corresponded with Xu Zhixia before, so he naturally knew that Xu Zhixia was very busy after giving birth.
He didn't even think that Xu Zhixia would actually come over.
The two chatted and laughed, and soon arrived at the guesthouse.
After Xu Zhixia put the small bag she brought with her at the guesthouse, she followed Shen Ran to eat.
They arrived at the state-owned restaurant, and after sitting down, Shen Ran asked directly: "Comrade Xu, is there anything you are not allowed to eat?"
Xu Zhixia shook her head, a faint smile on her lips: "I'm fine with anything."
Shen Ran thought about it and ordered two dishes, one meat and one vegetable. After a while, the dishes were served.
The one on the far left is a dish of chicken stewed with mushrooms. It is stewed until it is shiny and oily, and looks very appetizing.
On the right is a dish of stir-fried shredded potatoes, garnished with green peppers, which is also very appetizing.
Chen Ran introduced with a smile: "This is our specialty here, Comrade Xu must try it."
Xu Zhixia picked up a piece of mushroom with chopsticks and put it into her mouth, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes. It was the first time she had eaten a dish with such a unique taste.
"It tastes really good." She praised without hesitation.
Seeing that Xu Zhixia liked it, Shen Ran was visibly relieved.
You have to know that Xu Zhixia is now a writer for their magazine. If he is not treated well, he will have nowhere to cry if he goes to other magazines.
Because it was already evening when Xu Zhixia's train arrived at the station.
So Shen Ran did not plan to talk to her today. The two of them had a good meal. After eating and drinking their fill, Shen Ran sent Xu Zhixia to the guesthouse.
Lying on the bed, Xu Zhixia's mind flashed with the faces of Pingping and An'an. She didn't know how the two little guys were doing now.
She felt a pang of heartache when she thought about her two children being distressed by her departure. She secretly decided to complete the book publishing as soon as possible.
After a good night's sleep, Xu Zhixia woke up early the next day. But when she opened the door, she saw Shen Ran squatting at the door.
Seeing her, Shen Ran's eyes lit up, and he quickly stood up and greeted her warmly: "Good morning, Comrade Xu."
Xu Zhixia was startled. Why did Shen Ran look so anxious?
Although she thought so in her heart, she did not show it on the surface.
He smiled politely and said, "Why don't we go to the magazine office and talk now?"
This was exactly what Shen Ran wanted. Without thinking, he led the way and brought Xu Zhixia to the magazine office.
Because the editor-in-chief knew that Xu Zhixia was coming, he cleared out a meeting room.
As soon as Xu Zhixia sat down, the perceptive assistant beside him quickly brought her a cup of hot tea.
Looking at Shen Ran and the editor-in-chief who were smiling brightly in front of him, Xu Zhixia felt uneasy.
Normally, shouldn't the author be the one seeking a job and the magazine publishing the book? Why is it the other way around with her?
This made her wonder if there was something fishy going on.
Perhaps Xu Zhixia's expression was too obvious for both the editor-in-chief and Shen Ran to notice.
The two looked at each other and were immediately stunned.
After a moment's silence, the editor-in-chief was the first to break the atmosphere.
"Comrade Xu, we won't hide it from you. We really need to publish a book right now."
"This is a requirement from above. We need a new look."
Xu Zhixia was stunned. She hadn't expected this to be the reason. The higher-ups were demanding a new look. Could it be that they were saying the winds of change were about to blow?
Once this thought appeared in her mind, it stayed with her for a long time.
Shen Ran continued, "Yes, Comrade Xu, our magazine has received manuscripts from many authors, but only yours is the most inspiring."
More importantly, Xu Zhixia knows what can be written and what cannot be written, and he strikes the right balance.
In addition, she is a military family member, which gives her an advantage.
But there is no need to talk about this kind of thing.
Xu Zhixia seemed to be lost in thought, tapping the table with his knuckles, making a rhythmic sound.
“But I feel that my abilities are still insufficient…”
Before he could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by the editor-in-chief, who complimented him, "Your ability is obvious to everyone. Since you submitted your article to us, our magazine's sales have increased by several points."
This statement is true. The manuscripts written by Xu Zhixia are interesting and not stiff, and what they describe are the spiritual outlooks that the masses want to see.
Not only can you send it out with confidence, you may also receive praise from your superiors.
You know, in this trend, it is a blessing for ordinary newspapers and magazines not to go bankrupt.
Xu Zhixia felt a little shy when she was praised, and a blush spread across her face, reaching all the way to her ears.
She touched the tip of her nose guiltily and got straight to the point: "Then let me ask, when you discussed the book with me before we met, did you want to combine my previous articles, or did you want me to write a new one?"
Before Shen Ran could speak, the editor-in-chief's eyes lit up and he couldn't wait to speak: "Comrade Xu, do you mean that you can still write a manuscript for us according to our direction?"
That’s what I meant, but why does it sound so wrong when it comes from the editor-in-chief?
Before Xu Zhixia could figure out what was going on, the editor-in-chief's next words brought her back to her senses.
"If it's possible, I'll personally increase your next book's fee by half."
Xu Zhixia was surprised because this was really a big deal. You know, her previous royalties were not low.
At the same time, a doubt arose in her mind: why was the editor so eager for her to publish a book?
Thinking of this, she simply asked directly.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
