316: Chapter 316 Let's see the vigor of the young people

When Hu Yizhao solemnly uttered those two words...

The air in the entire VIP lounge seemed to freeze completely at that second.

The few high school students who were still whispering immediately shut their mouths.

They might have simply felt that this name carried a natural sense of majesty, or perhaps they were awed by the title of Chairman of the Writers Association.

But Lin Que was different.

A loud boom echoed in his mind.

His eyes widened uncontrollably, his gaze fixed firmly on the face of the middle-aged man before him.

Lin Que was complaining wildly in his heart.

Does a name in a parallel world have to be this hardcore?!

In the Chinese Literary World, this name carried a nuclear-level deterrent. Was it something that could just be thrown around?!

Memories from his past life flooded back like a tide.

This name represented countless nights spent studying under a lamp, and the most headache-inducing reading comprehension questions on Chinese language exams.

More importantly, it represented that phrase that made all students tremble: "Read fluently and recite the entire text."

The steel pitchfork in Runtu's hand, the nine copper coins Kong Yiji laid out, the honey locust tree in the Hundred Plant Garden...

And that famous line: "For actually there is no road on the earth; when many people pass, a road is made."

These elements formed the cultural DNA of almost every Chinese student.

To navigate the literary world with this name—what kind of destiny would one need to possess to handle it?

Lin Que even suspected that if the Chairman before him scribbled something randomly, it could be directly inserted into the high school entrance exam's Chinese paper.

While Lin Que's inner monologue was running wild...

This Chairman Lu, who carried such a massive presence, did not put on official airs.

He didn't stand in place waiting for others to greet him like an ordinary leader.

He took a step forward and walked straight up to Lin Que.

Chairman Lu's eyes were like torches as he sized up the youth before him.

His gaze was extremely sharp, but as he looked at Lin Que...

That sharpness was tempered with a perfect touch of an elder's warmth.

“Student Lin Que, hello there.”

Lin Que also extended his hand, neither humble nor arrogant, with a smile on his face.

“Hello, Chairman.”

Chairman Lu nodded with satisfaction, his voice loud and hearty.

At the same time, he patted Lin Que on the shoulder.

“Hah, quite spirited. ”

“Your Chairman Gu from Su Province made a special point to call me.”

“He repeatedly urged me and entrusted me to take good care of a fine talent like you today. ”

“He said you not only write well but also conduct yourself with a maturity far beyond your years. ”

“Seeing you today, you truly live up to your reputation.”

As he spoke, he proactively extended his broad palm.

Facing this big shot with such an impactful name, Lin Que subconsciously reached out to shake hands.

The moment their hands met, the grip was solid.

The deep-rooted cultural instincts from his past life caused a certain surname to almost slip uncontrollably to the tip of his tongue.

“Thank you, Zhou—”

Just as the syllable was about to form, Lin Que's rationality came crashing back.

He forced himself to swallow that word, biting the tip of his tongue hard to use the sting to stabilize his mind.

His brain worked at high speed within a tenth of a second, managing to pivot the pronunciation.

“Thank you, Chairman Lu, for such a thoughtful arrangement. I've put you to a lot of trouble.”

Lin Que corrected himself extremely quickly, his tone so steady that not a single flaw could be heard.

The expression on his face remained calm and composed; he didn't even blink.

Hu Yizhao stood to the side, his back slightly bowed.

He was constantly monitoring Chairman Lu's expression, fearing that a young man like Lin Que might not know the rules and offend the leader.

But seeing Lin Que respond so fluently, half of the heart he had in his throat finally settled.

Chairman Lu didn't notice Lin Que's momentary lapse.

Instead, he grew more appreciative of the youth before him.

An ordinary high schooler facing the top leader of the Writers Association would usually be so nervous their palms would sweat and they'd be unable to speak clearly.

Yet Lin Que's steady composure—neither humble nor arrogant when facing a powerful figure—was truly rare.

This wasn't an act; it was a confidence born from his very core.

“Haha, good lad.”

Chairman Lu laughed heartily, patted the back of Lin Que's hand firmly, and turned to Hu Yizhao.

“Old Hu, look at this kid. Standing in front of us, he doesn't even break a sweat. ”

“No wonder he could write something like 'fan jin passes the imperial examination.' With this psychological resilience, he was born for this profession.”

Hu Yizhao hurriedly nodded with a smile of agreement:

“The Chairman is right. Student Lin is indeed the most composed newcomer we've ever seen.”

After the laughter, Chairman Lu turned around.

He walked over to the other seven students in the lounge in an approachable manner.

Tang He quickly stood up straight, her hands folded in front of her.

Zhang Hao puffed out his chest like a soldier waiting for inspection.

Liu Yu pushed up his glasses, his gaze following Chairman Lu's every step.

Chairman Lu shook hands and greeted them one by one.

“You're Tang He from Fudan Affiliated High School, right?” Chairman Lu looked at the short-haired girl, his tone gentle.

“I've read your finals piece, 'glass.' The emotions were delicate, and the writing had great tension. Keep maintaining that power of observation towards life.”

Tang He nodded excitedly, her cheeks flushing red:

“Thank you, Chairman Lu. I will work hard.”

Chairman Lu nodded and walked over to Zhang Hao, patting him on the shoulder.

“Zhang Hao from Hangzhou Normal Affiliated High School. Your writing style has a lot of drive. Keep that edge; don't let exam-oriented education dull your sharpness.”

“Understood. I won't let you down.”

Chairman Lu accurately called out everyone's name and offered a few words of encouragement based on the characteristics of their work.

This left the high schoolers overwhelmed by the favor, their eyes full of admiration and gratitude.

After confirming the students' status, Chairman Lu glanced at his watch.

Time was already tight. The opening ceremony outside was about to enter the countdown, and he had to head to the front to coordinate the final procedures.

Walking to the door, Hu Yizhao had already pulled open the heavy wooden door in advance.

Chairman Lu paused.

He looked back at the group of slightly nervous youths.

“Children, the scale of things outside today is very large. On the other side is Jian Shen, the toughest brand name in the literary world right now.”

Chairman Lu's voice wasn't loud, yet it carried a power that settled one's heart.

“But I hope you remember that literature has no hierarchy of high or low, only whether it is sincere or not. ”

“You are able to sit on the first floor because of the words you have written. ”

“I'll see you on stage later. Show Magic City the edge of your youth.”

His powerful words echoed in the room, carrying an inspiring force.

With that, Chairman Lu strode out of the lounge, with Hu Yizhao and the female assistant following closely behind.

The heavy wooden door closed again, and the sound of footsteps gradually faded.

The eight students in the lounge let out a long sigh of relief in unison.

The tension of being suppressed by a powerful figure's aura gradually dissipated.

In its place was the excitement and fervor of being about to face the storm.

Zhang Hao rubbed his hands vigorously, his eyes shining:

“My god, the Chairman of the Writers Association personally came to cheer us on. ”

“Even if there's a massive army on the other side today, I'd dare to go up and fight them.”

Liu Yu pushed up his glasses, sharing the sentiment:

“Chairman Lu's aura is too strong. After hearing him speak, I feel like being a background character isn't such a big deal. ”

“What's that ten-meter-high poster outside? We have the National Writers Association standing behind us.”

Tang He sat on the sofa, her hands tightly clutching her review materials, her gaze firm.

“That's right. Teacher Jian Shen gave us the chance to share the stage, and Chairman Lu gave us the confidence. ”

“No matter how many books are sold today, we can't lose our nerve.”

Lin Que sat back down on the chair by the water dispenser and took a sip of water from a paper cup.

Looking at this group of hot-blooded peers, a faint smile played at the corners of his mouth.

On the left was Jian Shen's overwhelming publicity, and on the right was Chairman Lu personally stepping in to support.

This show was getting more and more interesting.

The wall clock ticked, the second hand moving forward notch by notch.

From outside the door came the faint, uncontrollable commotion of the crowd.

The sound grew louder, like waves constantly battering a dike, ready to burst at any moment.

“Ding-dong.”

A crisp and piercing electronic notification sounded within Century Book City.

It was now 9:30 AM.

Immediately following, a soft but loud female voice came over the bookstore's broadcast.

“Dear readers, Century Book City is about to open for business. Please line up in an orderly fashion and stay safe.”

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