According to the North American Tucao Jun's scoring standard of "7 points for Athena Chu and Joey Wong, 8 points for Liu Yifei, and 9 points for carrying big wings to open the Victoria's Secret show, you are the only one", a girl like Chu Li who is neither tall nor short, dresses conservatively and has an ordinary hairstyle, is probably only 4 to 5 points at most, and you have to stare at her hard to find her if you see her in a crowd on the street.

After living an ordinary life for more than 20 years, on this day, she finally achieved a 100% return rate for the first time in her lifetime because she made a grand appearance with two (inexplicably competing) authors.

...but everyone's face is written in capital letters——

excuse me;

Just her? Why?

I am so angry. Nowadays, young men are so blind.

Definitely the brothers, a cousin and a cousin;

Look at this girl, she is so proud, what is she so proud of? You know two little brothers and you sneak away at the same time;

I would rather believe that these two men are a couple;

When Chu Li took two movie ticket vouchers and RMB 18 to compare three tickets with the ticket issuing staff, everyone around looked at them eagerly... until Chu Li took the three tickets, looked at the seat numbers on the three tickets carefully, picked out the middle one and put it in his pocket, and handed the other two to the two gods behind him who were like door gods -

Only then did everyone accept the assumption that "these three people were really in the same group" and they dispersed, shaking their heads and sighing.

At this time, there were still more than 20 minutes before the movie started. Chu Li found a corner and sat down with the movie ticket in hand. As soon as her butt touched the ground, her eyes suddenly darkened. She raised her head and saw Jiang Yucheng standing in front of her with his waist half bent. He smiled and asked, "Do you want some snacks? Or drinks? Ice cream?"

Chu Li naturally waved his hand and said, "No thanks, teacher."

Zhuo Chuan stood behind the two of them and said coldly, "Why are you eating snacks right after dinner? Is your stomach a bottomless pit? The boss ate a pizza like that and I almost vomited..."

"You ate too much, didn't you?"

Jiang Yucheng stood up, brushed past Zhuchuan, and ran to the snack counter in front to pick out some popcorn, chocolate, and mineral water. He stuffed them into Chuli's arms when he got them back. Chuli took them and thanked him. At this time, a big hand reached out and grabbed a bag of marshmallows from her arms: "... They are all sweet. Are you treating her like a three-year-old child?"

"Can you please shut up? You talk so much even though you don't even bring your wallet with you. There's no girl who doesn't like sweets."

Jiang Yucheng watched coldly as Zhuchuan tore open the cotton candy bag, took out a cotton candy and squeezed it in his hands until all the messy fillings were squeezed out. He stretched out his hand and put the lump of shit to his mouth, saying righteously: "I don't eat sweets."

Jiang Yucheng rolled his eyes and slapped his hand away.

Zhuo Chuan had no choice but to eat it himself, mumbling as he ate, "I don't eat sweets, and she won't like them either. You're wasting money buying these things—"

Before he could finish his words, he saw Jiang Yucheng looking at him with mocking eyes. Zhuchuan paused and looked down subconsciously. He saw the little girl who had already torn off the tin foil of the chocolate and was now holding a large piece of chocolate in her mouth, looking at him blankly.

Zhuchuan: “…”

Zhuo Chuan looked disappointed and said, "You just had a full meal! And you're eating chocolate! Are you a goldfish? Don't you know how to hold on?"

Chu Li shrank back. Being stared at by Zhu Chuan with such a "treasonous" look really made her feel a little guilty: "I only ate a small piece..."

Zhuochuan: "You are already heavy enough."

It was so heavy that I couldn't even lift it up, and I could only watch you lying on the table in my study for the whole night. Have you forgotten the tragedy?

Chu Li's face turned pale when he heard that. Jiang Yucheng stepped forward in time and pulled Zhechuan's windbreaker belt and pulled him away: "You deserve to be single since birth. Who can you blame? You have wasted your face. You speak nonsense when you open your mouth. If Ergou was a bitch, she would have to run away from home..."

During the nearly ten minutes of waiting, Zhu Chuan kept looking at Chu Li as if she were a little traitor. Chu Li was terrified at first, but then she got used to it. Finally, under the man's gaze, she calmly finished a whole piece of chocolate and stood up with a big bucket of popcorn: "You can enter now."

Zhuo Chuan stretched out his long legs and stood up: "If I fall asleep later, remember to wake me up, in case I fall asleep too soundly."

Jiang Yucheng: "Then what are you doing here?"

Chu Li forced his way between the two people and pulled them apart as they were stuck together and couldn't stop.

Entering the theater, because the theme of this movie's promotion is not as attractive as other blockbusters that are being released at the same time, even though it is a weekend, there are only two or three people watching this movie, which is pitifully small. Including Chu Li and the other three, there are only about ten people in total... Chu Li was seated between the two authors according to the seat number on the movie ticket. At this time, the ears that had been noisy for the whole morning finally got some peace and quiet - Zhao Chuan was playing with his mobile phone on her left; Jiang Yucheng took the opportunity to check Weibo before the movie started... About ten minutes ago, he posted three ticket stubs with the caption: Let's go to the movies with the editor-in-chief, a weekend benefit of Yuanyue Society.

At this moment, people were busy guessing who the three tickets belonged to under his Weibo. Someone noticed that it was the movie theater in G City, so they started tagging Zhu Chuan... Zhu Chuan was playing with his phone when he said impatiently, "Why do you keep tagging me, reader? Do you have to be with me when you come to G City?"

"What's wrong with you?" Jiang Yucheng said calmly, "When you come to B City, you come to my house to eat and drink for free, and you call it 'Teacher Jiang Yucheng's hospitality'. Then when I come to G City, shouldn't you 'hospitally' me?"

Zhuochuan raised his fist: "Use this to 'entertain'?"

Jiang Yucheng sneered and before he could answer, the lights in the theater dimmed. At the same time, Chu Li quickly stuffed the popcorn in his arms into Zhu Chuan's arms and said in a low voice, "Let's start."

Zhuchuan moved his lips but ultimately said nothing. He just held the popcorn bucket in silence, thought for a moment, then grabbed a handful of popcorn and stuffed it into his mouth.

The film begins with editor Perkins receiving a manuscript from author Thomas. Prior to this, this book, Angels, Look Homeward, had been rejected by many publishing houses. The manuscript was sent to Perkins, the most prestigious editor at the time. He held the manuscript in his hands and couldn’t stop reading it on the train back home... A few days later, Thomas came to Perkins’ office, ready to be rejected again. At this time, Perkins told him that he would publish his book and paid him half of the royalties deposit -

Seeing Thomas's initial disbelief turn into ecstasy, and shouting and jumping in Perkins' office, Chu Li raised the corners of his lips and reached out to tug at Zhu Chuan's sleeve: "Was it the same when you first published your manuscript?"

The man's sleeve was pulled, and his body reflexively tilted slightly, but his eyes were still fixed on the movie screen. He said expressionlessly, "No, except my dad, no one has ever rejected my manuscript."

"..." Chu Li let go of him and leaned towards Jiang Yucheng, "Teacher, then you——"

"My father was my first publishing editor. Ten or three years ago, he found the manuscript of The Vanishing Zoo from my waste paper box, and then sold it. Then it became a hit."

Jiang Yucheng said this with a smile on his face. Zhuochuan, who was on the other side of the ceremony, obviously heard it and snorted softly.

Chu Li: "..."

It was her fault for coming to watch a sentimental film with two sentimentless authors.

What follows is what a movie about an editor and an author should have. During the proofreading process, the editor has a dispute with the author. The two have to spend every day together and compete with each other because of a work.

This reminded Chu Li of the time when he first started proofreading "The Divine Book of Luo River", when he had seven or eight phone calls every day arguing with Zhe Chuan... Yu Yao once lamented that it was a good thing that electronic communication technology was so advanced at that time. In the past, when authors and editors had to sit face to face to revise manuscripts together, the two of them would probably have blown the roof of Yuanyue Society off.

In the movie, as the hero's first book and second book sold well, the author gradually became close friends with his editor. There is a scene in the movie where Perkins reads "Angel Looks Homeward" over and over again with a gratified smile... Chu Li said that this is a bit beautified: "In fact, editors dare not read the books they have worked on, even if they are indeed their trophies, but - once they accidentally turn to the wrong words or wrong sentences that they missed, the fear and embarrassment will make people unable to control themselves."

"This is the difference between a junior editor and the Nightingale of the editor world." Zhuo Chuan pointed at the tip of Chu Li's nose. "I've seen you drooling and yelling over my manuscripts. What else can I expect?"

Chu Li: "..."

As an editor and author in that era, when Perkins and Thomas were working on the next few books, they ate, drank, defecated, urinated and slept together, which caused great dissatisfaction to the author's wife, who even rushed to the editorial office with a gun...

Chu Li: "Being the girlfriend of an author is really hard. After all, the editor has a hundred reasons to harass the author at any time and place by calling, sending WeChat and email - for example, even if you are doing it in bed, stop and explain what this dash is used for."

Zhuochuan had already started to get distracted at this time and didn't say anything.

Chu Li grabbed his arm and shook it: "Teacher, wake up."

Chu Chuan woke up from his trance and looked at the woman on the screen who was holding a gun to his head and forcing Thomas to choose between her and Perkins: "The situation you are talking about is actually very easy to solve. The answer is to marry her."

Chu Li: “Ah?”

Zhao Chuan: "How many editors end up together with the author, because at least when they are moving in bed, she will only think about crying instead of thinking about what is wrong with the manuscript written by the person on top of her..."

Chu Li: "..."

Chu Li raised his hands to cover his ears expressionlessly.

Jiang Yucheng turned his head away speechlessly: "I was watching an art film, why did you suddenly make a dirty joke?"

Zhuo Chuan glanced at Chu Li. The theater was too dark so he couldn't see her face clearly. He could only guess that it was flushed. He said expressionlessly, "She started it first."

At the beginning of the ceremony, no one could argue.

At this time in the movie, a best-selling author that Perkins had once coached suddenly stopped writing for one reason or another. The things he tried to write were not satisfactory, and his career reached a low point...Zhu Chuan changed his posture, with a faint smile on his lips: "Looks familiar."

Jiang Yucheng glanced at him expressionlessly.

In the movie, Thomas, who was at the peak of his career, met the troubled author and, because of drunkenness, he ridiculed him. His sarcastic remarks aroused the dissatisfaction of editor Perkins, and the two had a big quarrel on the goat trail late at night... and almost parted ways.

Jiang Yucheng: "Zhuchuan, why are you on the screen, Zhuchuan!"

Zhuchuan: “…”

At the end of the movie, Thomas and Perkins fell into a cold war period, and Thomas' new book was almost signed to another publisher... But he finally took the book to Perkins and told him that the book was still given to him and that he would write a thank you to his editor Perkins on the title page. However, Perkins refused.

Chu Chuan also raised the first and only question throughout the entire movie: "Why refuse? People are afraid of being famous, just like pigs are afraid of getting fat?"

"When this book is a big seller, the editor's work has been completed - from the initial selection of manuscripts, finalization, proofreading, to printing, promotion, and distribution - throughout the entire process of the book's birth, the editor has always stood there, like a shadow..." Chu Li thought for a moment and said, "The author is the soul of a book, and the editor is just the shadow of the book, because a book does not need two souls."

Zhuochuan sat up straighter and looked at Chu Li in silence.

"I suddenly understand why Yuanyue Publishing House hopes that authors and editors will watch this movie together. Teacher, as you said the other day, in this era of fast information transmission and almost no face-to-face communication between people, editors are no longer that important to authors..." Chu Li said, "Editors in the past were like Perkins. They needed to have a keen eye and a passion for the publishing industry to discover and affirm a book and present it to readers in the best possible state. The whole process was like an editor silently saying to thousands of passers-by who did not know this book or this author before: I have a very good book here, please take a look..."

——While saying this, Chu Li thought of a lot.

I thought of Suo Heng who was struggling in a bottleneck;

I thought of Jiang Yucheng who was mocked and poked in the back and said he was "out of fashion", but on the surface he was treated with weirdness and flattery;

I thought of Yu Yao, who once had a passion in his heart but eventually lost his way because he had to face reality;

Thinking of the old Miao who would abandon the outdated author if there was a disagreement, and completely treated making books as making commodities...

I also thought of myself.

Jiang Yucheng's sneer echoed in my ears: "Looking back at the current era, everything is about data - the main reason for the birth of a book is not necessarily because of its own good content, but because... it can sell."

There was a hint of mockery in Jiang Yucheng's words.

Zhuochuan raised his head and looked at him without saying anything.

"Once a book is written, it has its own popularity - the click rate of collections on online platforms, the number of comments, and the popularity of the author... Famous authors will have countless publishers rushing to bid for their works as soon as they publish; unknown authors, on the other hand, have no one interested in them, and it is very difficult for them to publish a book..." Chu Li thought for a while and said, "The nature of editors has also changed from 'mentor' to 'businessman'. This is probably the biggest difference between that paper book and now."

"Yes, yes. I saw with my own eyes that the editor of a physical book of a certain out-of-date author said to him in person, 'This topic is not selling well, so don't write about it. What's popular now is blah blah blah blah. You should write about that...'" Zhu Chuan looked at Jiang Yucheng with a half-smile. "At that time, the out-of-date author was almost pissed off and said a classic line."

Jiang Yucheng calmly took over the conversation: "What a courageous dog."

Chu Chuan: "I almost thought Jiang Yucheng was possessed by Chu Chuan."

Zhuochuan raised his head, slapped his thigh and laughed silently.

However, Chu Li couldn't laugh...

Looking at Jiang Yucheng's silent face and Zhaochuan's mocking face, and recalling that day when Suo Heng was sitting in the Yuanyue Society's office with his head down and crying... Chu Li felt as if his stomach had fallen to the ground and was covered with dust.

This is probably the most straightforward and unabashed way that current authors confront their editors:

The unpopular author compromises;

Authors who are at a bottleneck or in a trough have to face reality;

When popular authors compare the injustices they have experienced and witnessed with the treatment they receive today, they will inevitably feel ridicule and disdain in their hearts...

No author will ever again easily become close friends with his editor.

The work itself is no longer the only bridge between the author and the editor; it is replaced by sales, royalties, popularity assessments and endless bargaining.

——Just like the movie that is being played at this moment, today, in such an impetuous environment, it is difficult to find an editor like Perkins, who, in the name of "editor", becomes a "genius catcher" who digs out pearls from the dust and presents them to the world.

At this time, on the big screen, the author Thomas left a will for Perkins before he was seriously ill and dying. It contained gratitude, emotion and regret for his best friend. Perkins read it and kept it in silence. The movie ended in such a lonely gray tone.

The movie ended and the lights came on.

"So the teacher always feels that he no longer needs to be an editor." Chu Li looked at Zhu Chuan, "I understand you."

Zhuo Chuan sneered, grabbed a handful of popcorn, and looked lazy: "We watched a movie, but I didn't expect that you were the one who got educated."

Then he raised his hand and patted her head: "Okay, reflect on yourself and face reality, and don't bother me with your inspirational drama girl tricks in the future..."

"But the appearance of this movie at least explains something and proves something," Chu Li grabbed the big hand that was still on his head, "If someone could do it before, then now I can do it too."

Zhuochuan was stunned.

Chu Li stood up and said, "If someone must come to end the authors' disappointment in their editors, it will be me. It may sound a bit arrogant to say this now, after all, I have only just entered the industry... But I really hope I can do it, teachers. Please give me a chance to engrave this determination on my mind, and deliver your books to readers with this feeling."

She held the man's hands with both of hers.

As he spoke like a solemn oath, he slightly increased the strength of his hands.

"Please give me a chance."

Zhuochuan did not rush to answer, did not laugh, and did not agree immediately. He just silently looked at the little girl who was holding his hands with shining eyes, and frowned slightly.

Until a teasing voice sounded behind them——

"If you don't force me to write about any popular topics now," Jiang Yucheng said, "then I'm looking forward to it."

Chu Li was stunned for a moment, let go of Zhu Chuan and turned around - at this moment, standing behind the two of them, the mature and handsome man always had an unchanging smile on his lips. He looked at Chu Li and shrugged: "Anyway, it can't get worse, it doesn't hurt to give it a try."

Most of the people in the cinema have left.

The cleaning lady came in carrying a broom and a trash can.

Zhuo Chuan lowered his head and stared at his hands, silent and noncommittal. When Jiang Yucheng chose to give his trust first, he could hear that his teasing tone was actually tinged with seriousness and expectation...

However, the man just looked away, stood up from his seat after a moment of silence, and said calmly: "Don't shout slogans, let's see how you perform - after a few years, who can still remember their so-called original intentions? Not to mention you, I almost forgot why I wrote articles back then."

As the man spoke, he stuffed the popcorn bucket, which was almost empty in his arms, into Chu Li's arms, then he walked past Chu Li and Jiang Yucheng with his long legs and walked out without looking back.

Jiang Yucheng patted the shoulder of the editor who was staring blankly at the man's leaving figure and looked a little disappointed: "Translate it, Mr. Zhuchuan said that he will give you a chance.

Chu Li turned her head and looked at Jiang Yucheng like a pitiful puppy.

His smile became clearer: "You have to work harder."