I asked you to write a light novel, but you wrote about living?

A large, single-level apartment with river views in the central urban area.

The new chapter had just been rolled out across all channels, and the man was sipping his red wine, watching the reading progress of "Cyber ​​Ascension" rise again, feeling quite content.

A new trending topic popped up abruptly in the corner of the retina projection screen.

[The author, Yu Huashi, will be hosting a holographic meet-and-greet tonight at 8 PM for the completion of his novel "To Live".]

The man paused for a moment, holding his wine glass, then chuckled softly.

"Heh...starting a holographic live stream?"

He almost sighed at this naiveté.

In the eyes of this seasoned top trader, this move was so stupid it was almost suicidal.

When a book is caught in the meat grinder of capital, the most dignified thing to do is to admit defeat, cut ties, or spend money to suppress the noise and wait for public opinion to cool down on its own.

No one would put themselves under the watchful eyes of millions when the fire is at its fiercest.

"It was already wrong to bring out the real thing, but now we also want to bring up the person who brought the real thing."

The man shook his head and leaned back in his leather swivel chair, his posture languid.

He knew the power of that book better than anyone, but a mind capable of writing that kind of text might not be able to withstand the real-time scrutiny of millions of people.

Books can be polished repeatedly, but live streaming can't; it requires immediate, physical altercations.

He wasn't really interested in whether Yu Wen would show any fear.

He only cared about one thing: how much traffic and buzz this chaotic live stream would draw away from Cyber ​​Ascension.

"Pangu".

He took a sip of red wine, his tone regaining its expert composure:

"Keep a close eye on the real-time data for tonight's live stream. When he burns himself to ashes on stage and the hype dies down, we'll catch this wave of positive backflow."

He looked out the window at the dazzling night view, his smile completely devoid of emotion.

"A genius who refuses to admit defeat is far more useful than a quiet, dead man."

……

In the central district, the city lights are just coming on.

Chen Jianjia stared at the words "Holographic Meet and Greet" for a long time in silence.

As the homeroom teacher of that school in the lower district, she traveled between the clean and respectable central district and the gloomy and oppressive lower district every day, and knew better than anyone how deep the invisible chasm between the two worlds was.

That's why she thinks further ahead than those who only see the trending topics.

The Little Prince made it to the front page of Midtown Observer because of the power of the words themselves.

Readers are reading about the work, not the person.

But holographic live streaming is another matter entirely. It exposes the young man sitting in a rusty wheelchair, yet speaking with exceptional poise, along with his predicament and his background in the downtown area, to the most critical gaze.

She recalled that home visit.

In that basement, the disabled young man stood upright, his eyes as clear as an ancient well.

She could tell right away that the story of "The Little Prince" was definitely not something he had "made up on the spot" as he claimed.

Because she had met him in person, she understood the danger of this live broadcast better than anyone else.

Whether in the education or commentary circles, she has seen too many people who "die in the light"—gods on paper, but stutter and give irrelevant answers in front of the camera.

And those capitalists will never let go of this opportunity to separate "works" from "authors".

She almost subconsciously opened the communication with Tang Wan.

"Wanwan, what do you think of tonight's live stream?"

"I was just looking for you."

Tang Wan's voice carried the wariness characteristic of a reporter:

"Jianjia, to be honest, I'm worried for him. I posted the 'Little Prince' article myself, but that was an article, which can be kept secret. Live streaming is different. Millions of eyes are watching his face. What the investors are waiting for is the moment he shows weakness."

"I know."

Chen Jianjia's fingertips paused slightly on the table.

She remembered the introverted little girl who mustered up the courage to raise her hand during class meeting and tell the whole class about "The Little Prince," and the timid glint in Yu Yin's eyes when she said, "This is what my brother told me."

A person who could protect a child's entire imagination in such a basement.

"you say,"

She suddenly spoke softly, as if asking Tang Wan, but also as if asking herself:

"Would someone who takes even telling bedtime stories to their younger sister so seriously be overwhelmed by a few questions in front of two million people?"

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the communication.

"I have no idea."

Tang Wan said, "But tonight, I will stay up and watch it all."

"Me too."

Chen Jianjia hung up the call and looked out the window at the dazzling night view of the central district. However, her gaze seemed to pass through that prosperity and fall into the grayness below, shrouded in smog.

She couldn't explain what she was expecting.

I just had a feeling that the young man in the wheelchair tonight might surprise everyone who was waiting to see him make a fool of himself.