Back to 1997, I became the originator of online literature

Chapter 409 Sharpening the Knife, Aiming at Cao Sheng

Looking at Huang Qingya's reply, Cao Sheng was stunned, then gave a self-deprecating laugh, thinking: There's no basic trust between people!
He wanted to have a clean date with her, just to talk about love and not do anything inappropriate.

She, however, thought of him as a pervert.

Her message made him lose interest in going on a date.

There is a sense of helplessness in my heart: "I offered my heart to the bright moon, but the bright moon shone on the gutter."

"Alright! Then come back in a few days."

He replied listlessly.

A moment later, she sent another message, but he had lost interest in reading it.

He put away his phone, ate some pineapple, and wandered aimlessly around the campus. Ever since he became famous throughout the school, he rarely had the opportunity to stroll around the campus like this, because wherever he went, he would be the center of attention and pointed at. People would often stop him, chat with him, or ask for his autograph.

It was their class's physical education time, and most other classes were in class. The campus was quite empty, with few people on the road. This made him want to wander around.

As he walked, he came to the grass next to the field. The terrain here was more than a meter higher than the football field and basketball court in front of him, giving him a sense of being on top.

There were some trees planted on the grass, and under the trees was a stone table and a few stone benches. There was no one here at the moment, so Cao Sheng came here, sat down casually, finished the last bite of pineapple, and looked at the classmates playing football on the football field as if he were admiring the scenery.

His mind is wandering.

I sometimes wonder: Is life about movement or stillness?
Is the saying "life lies in movement" just a lie fabricated by some people to make people work harder?

If life is about movement, then why don't athletes live long lives?

On the contrary, turtles, which hardly move all day, can live for many years?
I keep thinking: Is it because I'm lazy? Do I not like exercising?
After his rebirth, although he consciously learned a few martial arts, he knew in his heart that he did not like sports. Otherwise, he would not have become a homebody before his rebirth.

Back then, the only things that could usually get him out of his room were delicious food and beautiful women.

After staying home for too long, I get tired of the meals I cook myself and want to go out for some good food to change things up.

Furthermore, staying at home for too long can cause his hormones to surge, driving him to go out and find attractive women to pursue.

As he pondered, another question came to mind: Before my rebirth, I was used to writing late at night, so my sleep schedule was different from that of ordinary people; I preferred to be active at night and rest during the day.

And now? I have a pretty healthy lifestyle and rarely stay up late anymore, but even when I go out to stroll around campus during the day, I have to take advantage of the fact that most alumni are in class.

Am I destined to be nocturnal? This is perfect for being a thief!
……

Suddenly, his phone rang again.

Why is Huang Qingya messaging me again?
Cao Sheng, his thoughts pulled back to reality, casually took out his phone and saw that it was a message from Jiang Xiaoshuang, whom he hadn't seen for some time.

"Hey handsome! Are you in class? You're still got it! I see your new book is really popular online lately!"

Cao Sheng smiled and replied, "Yeah, I'm in class. I'm not old yet, so of course the knife won't get old first."

Soon after, she sent another message, "Huh? You're replying to me during class? Don't you respect your teacher? Your internship is almost over, and you're already not paying attention in class anymore?"

Cao Sheng chuckled and replied, "If the teacher doesn't give a lecture, what kind of lecture am I supposed to listen to?"

Jiang Xiaoshuang: "Huh? The teacher told you to study on your own this class?"

Cao Sheng then revealed the answer: "More or less! We have two PE classes this afternoon."

Jiang Xiaoshuang: "Tch! So it's PE class. Are you free now? Do you have any other classes this afternoon?"

Cao Sheng: "No, just two PE classes."

Jiang Xiaoshuang: "So happy? Don't you want to be even happier?"

Cao Sheng's curiosity was piqued. "What suggestions do you have?"

Jiang Xiaoshuang: "Come out and have some fun! I'm off this afternoon and I'm really bored! Want to come out and have some fun?"

Cao Sheng wanted to laugh, "How do you plan to have fun?"

Jiang Xiaoshuang: "Shopping? Coffee? Movies? Or can you drive me to a tourist attraction? There are so many places nearby, right?"

As a tourist city, Huizhou does indeed have many attractions.

However, tourist attractions don't attract otaku.

Cao Sheng did not want to go.

But a voice inside me said: Going out for a drive can relax your mind and body, allow you to see more scenery, and improve your ability to describe scenery.

After thinking for a moment, he replied, "Sure! But it'll be dark in two or three hours, and we won't have time to get to the attractions. Where are you now? I'll come over and take you for a drive! We'll just drive wherever the road takes us, okay?"

A moment later, Jiang Xiaoshuang replied, "Okay! I'm in the TV station dormitory. You can come pick me up at the main gate of the TV station. I'll wait for you there, okay?"

Cao Sheng replied: "ok!"

He then got up and walked towards the teachers' dormitory building where he rented a place; his BMW was parked downstairs there.

He didn't call Sun Liang and the others because he figured they were probably in class.

Besides, it's broad daylight now.

It's broad daylight, and he doesn't go out at this time every day. He only goes out occasionally, and he believes nothing bad should happen.

……

Inside the Huizhou TV station building.

After finishing her text message exchange with Cao Sheng, Jiang Xiaoshuang smiled, put down her phone, rolled her eyes, and got up to walk towards the leader's office.

A moment later, she knocked on the door of the leader's office, entered with a smile, and asked for leave, "Director! A friend of mine is coming to see me, a very good friend. He came specifically to see me, so I'd like to ask for leave, just for the afternoon, please, please!"

As she spoke, taking advantage of her beauty, she clasped her hands together and begged the director with a big smile.

The director, who was over fifty, looked at her with a mixture of helplessness and amusement, and waved his hand, "Go on, go on! You silly girl! You even have to beg for leave, really..."

"Thank you, Director! Thank you, Director!"

Jiang Xiaoshuang thanked him repeatedly and left the director's office with light steps.

She wasn't actually off this afternoon as she had told Cao Sheng earlier. She just happened to hear him say that he was in PE class and that he didn't have any other classes that afternoon, and on a whim, she decided to seize this opportunity to ask him out.

As for being at work?

Since joining Huizhou TV Station, she has maintained a good relationship with several key leaders, especially her direct supervisor, Director Lin, whom she highly values.

Therefore, she is more than 90% confident that she can get leave.

Even if she couldn't get leave, she had other ways: she could always find a way to go out and look for news material.

……

Cao Sheng went back to his dormitory to change his clothes, shoes, and car keys before going downstairs, driving away from the school, and heading towards the city television station.

……

"Ash on Fingertips" is a pen name. It has recently gained considerable attention on Qidian.com.

His new book, "The Rebirth of a Swordsman," has been firmly occupying the top spot on Qidian's new book chart for several days this week.

Especially in the few days since Zhongyuan Yidianhui's new book was published on Qidian, Qidian's traffic has increased significantly. Many readers and authors from other sites have come to Qidian to read Zhongyuan Yidianhui's new book, and many of them are also paying attention to the popular works on the various lists on Qidian's homepage.

While the new book chart doesn't garner as much attention as the recommendation and click charts, it still attracts a considerable number of followers.

Moreover, his book "Rebirth of a Swordsman" not only topped the new book chart, but also climbed to fifth place on the weekly click chart.

Just as Cao Sheng was driving to see Jiang Xiaoshuang.

With cigarette ash still on his fingertips, he sat in front of the computer, having just opened the book "The Romance of Chinese Martial Arts".

Looking at this new book with less than 20,000 words, it already has more than 160,000 total clicks, more than 15000 recommendation votes, and more than 5,000 collections in the Hall of Fame.

His expression was serious.

He knew that with the momentum of this book, as long as the word count exceeded 5, it would probably immediately soar to the top of the new book charts.

At that time, one kick will push his "Swordsman Reborn" down to second place.

In fact, he also really enjoys reading Nakahara Yidianhui's works.

Like many authors, he has read every book by Zhongyuan Yidianhui. Although he has not read every single one, he considers himself a fan of Zhongyuan Yidianhui's books.

If he hadn't recently released a new book, and it wasn't currently at the top of the new book charts, then... if Zhongyuan Yidianhui had come to Qidian to publish his new book, he felt he would only feel happy.

Because that means that the brand's reputation and popularity will increase rapidly, and he will benefit from it.

Unfortunately, his new book is currently on the bestseller list and is in first place. If Zhongyuan Yidianhui comes to Qidian to publish his new book at this time, the cigarette ash on his fingertips will become the first stepping stone.

Reason told him: it's not shameful to become a stepping stone for the dust in the Central Plains; anyone would have become a stepping stone.

No one will laugh at me for losing to Zhongyuan Yidianhui's new book.

but……

But a thought lingered in his mind, refusing to leave.

—Can I hold out for a day or two? Even if it's just for one day, as long as I can keep the new book by Zhongyuan Yidianhui under my control for a day, many people will remember me and my novel "Swordsman Reborn".

This is a foreseeable benefit.

He wanted to try it.

I also felt there should be some opportunity.

Based on the timeline, once "Zhongyuan Yidianhui" reaches 5 words, it should be able to enter the new book chart next Wednesday or Thursday.

This means that his novel "Rebirth of the Swordsman" will have a roughly 3-day head start on next week's new book chart.

According to Qidian's recommendation rotation rules, his book "Rebirth of a Swordsman" should be able to be featured on the Sanjiang Pavilion next week. Qidian only recently launched the Sanjiang Pavilion recommendation slot, but its reputation and recommendation effect have already emerged. It is said to be comparable to the strongest recommendation effect of Qidian's new book period.

His novel, "Rebirth of a Swordsman," should be recommended by Sanjiang Pavilion this Sunday afternoon at 2 PM.

Based on this calculation, his novel "Rebirth of a Swordsman" will accumulate a large following before it even hits the "Chinese Martial Arts Chronicles" chart next week.

Perhaps it can really suppress "The Romance of Chinese Martial Arts" on the new book charts for a day, or even two?

and also……

If I start updating more chapters from Sunday afternoon, the popularity will definitely increase faster, while Zhongyuan Yidianhui's "The Romance of Chinese Martial Arts"... probably won't be updated more chapters, right?

Zhongyuan Yidianhui has such a great reputation, he must be very proud.

It's likely that "The Romance of Chinese Martial Arts" will easily top the new book charts on the day it's released.

In front of the computer.

With cigarette ash on his fingertips and his eyes slightly narrowed, he pondered these things. He believed that Zhongyuan Yidianhui would underestimate his opponent, and he thought of the idiom "the tortoise and the hare".

He felt that Zhongyuan Yidianhui was likely to be like the hare in the "tortoise and the hare" fable, underestimating his opponent and being arrogant, not taking him, the "tortoise," seriously. Even if he saw the extra chapter of his "Swordsman Rebirth," Zhongyuan Yidianhui probably wouldn't care.

This……

That was his chance.

We have a chance to crush the shoddy "National Martial Arts Chronicle" of the Central Plains for a day or two.

"You're so famous now, and I have nothing! Consider this a chance for a fan like me to make something of myself..."

He muttered to himself.

Immediately, he composed himself, exited the Qidian website, retrieved the saved drafts from his computer's hard drive, and prepared to quickly start writing in preparation for the planned extra chapter.

The thought of potentially crushing Zhongyuan Yidianhui's new book under his feet for a day or two filled him with a surge of excitement.

This feeling reminded him of the phrase "slaying gods to prove the Dao" mentioned by Zhongyuan Yidianhui in his previous book, "The Legend of the Primordial Era".

In the novel "The Legend of the Primordial Era", the male protagonist challenges several top masters below the level of saints in order to prove that his Dao is invincible in the world.

The kind that not only distinguishes between superiors and inferiors, but also determines life and death.

In this book, Cao Sheng mentions the concept of "slaying gods to prove one's Dao".

Many readers felt their hearts surge and their blood boil when they saw this part of the story, wishing they could also travel back to the ancient primordial era and try to slay gods and prove their path to immortality.

What could better prove one's invincibility in the Great Dao than defeating and killing powerful gods?
The same reason.

In today's online literature world, what could better prove one's ability than defeating Zhongyuan Yidianhui?

Even if he can't completely defeat him, just trampling Zhongyuan Yidianhui's work underfoot for a day or two is enough for Zhijian Zhishang Yanhui to prove that he can exchange a few blows with Zhongyuan Yidianhui, and that is also a demonstration of strength.

……

The sun shines brightly in front of the gate of Huizhou TV Station.

The black BMW kicked up a gust of fallen leaves from the roadside, attracting the attention of passersby, including Jiang Xiaoshuang. With a deep screech of brakes, the car stopped in front of her, the gentle breeze from the car causing her thick cashmere skirt to flutter.

Yes, after taking leave, she went back to her dorm to change her clothes and touch up her makeup.

At this point, she no longer had the air of a student she had when she was in school.

A checkered cashmere midi skirt, black thermal leggings, a white cashmere top, and long, wavy hair...

She already looks like a fashionable and stylish career woman.

The driver's side window of the BMW slowly rolled down, revealing Cao Sheng's face. Cao Sheng smiled and gestured to her with his head, "Get in!"

Jiang Xiaoshuang brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, smiled broadly, and quickly walked around the front of the car. She opened the passenger door, leaving a fragrant breeze behind, and got into the car.

As Cao Sheng fastened his seatbelt, he noticed that it had sunk quite deep into her chest.

(End of this chapter)