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

Lu Zhao reopened the comments section, scrolled down less than half a page, and then exited.

"Now I understand why they criticize the author."

Lin Wan asked, "What are you cursing about?"

"Antisocial personality, psychologically dark, specializing in tormenting readers. Some people even asked if he was going to kill off Jia Zhen in the next chapter as well."

"Didn't you used to look down on these kinds of comments the most?"

"I used to think they were just venting their frustrations and couldn't even read books."

Lu Zhao is now unwilling to speak up for the author.

He understands the principles.

Fengxia's writing in this section is restrained; suffering does not need to serve a moral purpose, and the author has no obligation to comfort the reader.

He can analyze these points and articulate them clearly.

Even after the analysis, that feeling of unease remained.

"Their insults may be harsh, but they're at least right about one thing," Lu Zhao said. "The author definitely knows what readers fear most. He knows, yet he still writes about those very things."

Jiang Ci reminded him, "Don't let Uncle Shen hear you say that."

"I didn't go to the comments section to curse."

"The only difference is that your criticism is more theoretically sound?"

"The difference is that I have self-control."

Lu Zhao turned off the comments section.

"I just feel so suffocated."

Lin Wan is the same.

She doesn't hate the author, nor can she say where the author made a mistake.

It's precisely because there's nothing wrong with it that it's even more painful.

If Fengxia's experiences had been written in a more deliberate and sentimental way, she could have shifted the blame to the author, saying it was just using suffering to elicit tears.

not now.

The author didn't pressure her in any way.

She herself remembered the little girl who could sing.

"Should we tell Uncle Shen?" Lin Wan asked.

"What did you say?"

This problem stumped her.

To say that this chapter is well-written is too lenient;

Saying that I felt very upset after watching it doesn't sound like something worth reporting.

As for the things they were just discussing, Shen Yanqiu probably thought about them earlier and more deeply than they did.

"Just say we've finished watching."

Jiang Ci, however, felt it was unnecessary.

Shen Yanqiu had been asking about the book's updates all day, so he couldn't possibly miss tonight's six thousand words.

They're just rashly sending out a bunch of thoughts now, which is nothing more than dumping their unresolved emotions onto the teacher.

Let's talk again next Monday.

According to the original plan, they were supposed to give a progress report.

By then, everyone should at least understand what moved them and why they felt uncomfortable.

Lu Zhao had no objection.

"That works too. It saves me from going there now and just cursing the author to his face."

That concludes the discussion.

Lin Wan did not go back to grade the unfinished assignment.

She opened "To Live" again, but instead of starting from this chapter, she flipped all the way to where Fengxia first appeared.

At that time, the Xu family had not yet fallen from grace.

Fengxia was being held in the arms of a servant when she saw Fugui come in from outside. She immediately rushed towards him, calling out "Father!"

It was just a very ordinary stroke.

……

Weiming Academy Faculty Apartment, Block B, No. 17.

In Shen Yanqiu's study, the teacup had been used for the third time.

On the projection in front of him, the last paragraph of the latest update of "To Live" was frozen there.

Su Huaijin was sitting opposite me.

The two of them started watching at 9:05 and didn't speak immediately after they finished.

"Senior brother, how many infusions have you made this tea?" Su Huaijin asked.

"third."

"Let's change to another pot."

"Forget it, I can't drink it now even if I change it."

Su Huaijin smiled.

"You're not planning to sleep tonight."

"I can't sleep after reading this chapter."

"I can't sleep either."

The two of them were silent for a while.

Su Huaijin continued:

"Senior brother, to be honest with you, this book isn't suitable to be read like this."

"How so?"

"Four or five thousand words a day," Su Huaijin said. "This afternoon I read through the first thirty thousand words in one go, and when I got to the part about Lao Quan's death, I felt completely overwhelmed."

"I closed the projector, but the feeling lingered."

"Tonight's update will continue the momentum that was being suppressed."

"If you're a new reader and just started reading here tonight..."

"He saw the news of his mother's death and the two years when Fugui was conscripted into the army several days apart."

"Those emotions have long since dissipated."

"When watching Fengxia's segment tonight, he only saw Fengxia."

"I can't see those ahead."

Shen Yanqiu nodded slowly.

That makes sense.

"Books written in this style aren't meant for you to read a little bit of each day."

Su Huaijin continued:

"It's meant to be read in one go."

"The author maintained such a steady pace; he must have intended to write it all in one go."

"Now it's being cut into segments by the serialization mechanism of Weiguang, just like a piece of music being paused twenty times."

"The melody is still the same, but the feeling is gone."

"This book should never have been read as a serial on the Weiguang platform from the very beginning."

Shen Yanqiu paused for a moment, then said:

"Wait until he finishes writing."

"After he finishes writing, read it again from beginning to end."

"That's the kind of reading that does justice to this book."

Su Huaijin smiled and said:

"My senior brother and I had the same idea."

"On my way home this afternoon, I was thinking that reading this kind of book repeatedly is a waste of it."

"I felt awkward while watching it."

"What's wrong with you?"

"This is an awkward way to 'chase' someone," Su Huaijin said. "People our age don't read books like that."

"For our generation, reading meant closing the door, having a cup of tea, and spending an entire evening there."

"This is the kind of treatment this book deserves."

Shen Yanqiu nodded.

"Then it's settled."

This is the last update tonight.

"We won't chase the ones behind."

"Wait until it's finished."

Su Huaijin nodded as well, then suddenly asked:

What happens after it's over?

Shen Yanqiu said.

"I want to meet this person."

Su Huaijin smiled.

"Alright then," Su Huaijin said. "Senior brother, I'm going home."

"Drive carefully."

Su Huaijin stood up, walked to the door, then turned back and said:

"Senior brother."

"Um?"

What if he doesn't finish writing it?

Shen Yanqiu thought for a moment.

"Then I'll read the passage he wrote."

"Read as much as you can."

Su Huaijin smiled, pushed open the door, and walked out.

Shen Yanqiu was the only one left in the study.

He turned off the projector.

He picked up the cup of tea on the table and took a sip.

It's cold.

He didn't continue the conversation.

……

early morning.

The seventh slum in the Lower City, a basement.

Yu Wengang woke up, propped himself up, and slid his wheelchair to the computer desk.

As he pressed the power button, he subconsciously rubbed his temples.

After finishing writing that piece last night, he went to sleep without waiting for any reactions in the comments section.

He opened the author backend of Weiguang Literature and glanced at the data.

[Collection count: -83]

[Readership rate: decreased by 12%]

[New donation: 1240 Star Coins]

Yu Wen was stunned for a moment.

I've saved eighty-three of them.

The follow-up rate has decreased.

But the number of tips actually increased significantly.

He opened the comments section.

……

【ID Cyber ​​Cultivator】: What a piece of trash! My dad died, my mom died, my comrades died, I went home like a coward, and my innocent and lovely daughter became deaf and mute! The author must be crazy! I'm dropping this!

[ID Liver Emperor Online]: This is utter garbage, I'm dying from poisoning. Goodbye. Even my brain-computer interface is triggering its emotional alarms because of this book.

[ID 8000 Hours Shennong]: Author, after reading 30,000 words of online novels, let me tell you, this book is beyond saving. Readers pay money to enjoy reading, not to be tortured by your writing. Change your approach soon, or this book is doomed to fail.

【ID Pure Love God of War No. 2】: The male protagonist is a coward his whole life, with no money, no power, and no ability. His whole family is bullied. Author, are you trying to make us sick of reading this? Unfollow and drop this book with one click.

【ID Mecha God of War】: This kind of book dares to enter the Spark Cup? The Spark Cup is for outstanding new authors. Your book, which has no exciting moments, no system, no cheat codes, and even makes the male lead a useless character, should get out of the competition pool and stop polluting the algorithm.

The readers who abandoned the book were cursing as they walked away.

But they hurled insults and then left.

They removed the book from their bookshelf, deleted it from their reading list, and turned to look at the next book, "Cyber ​​Ascension" or "SSS-Class Plunder."

Those who remained were a different group.