38: The fish, refusing the bait, leaped over the dragon gate on its own.

New Tide Editorial Department.

Xu Lan's eyes were shining brightly.

She had just received Jian Shen's reply letter,

and she read that "immature idea" word by word.

She immediately dialed the internal phone beside her desk.

"Editor-in-Chief! I have already synced Teacher Jian Shen's reply letter to your inbox!"

"The Teacher brought up a very interesting idea this time!"

There was irrepressible excitement in her voice.

Wang De'an adjusted his reading glasses and quickly opened the email.

When he saw the sentence in the email, "Let those who have received warmth pass on the warmth to others,"

his hand trembled slightly.

"A lighthouse... A lighthouse that never goes out..."

He muttered to himself, the light in his eyes even fiercer than Xu Lan's.

Xu Lan also hurried to the Editor-in-Chief's office.

Just in time to see Wang De'an sitting in his seat, muttering to himself.

"I understand! I completely understand!"

Wang De'an slammed his hand on the desk, startling Xu Lan.

"Xiao Xu, Teacher Jian Shen is giving us a hint!"

"What he wants is not a bestseller at all; what he wants is a cultural symbol that can continuously shine and radiate heat!"

"The Miracles of the Namiya General Store cannot just be a serialized piece! It has to become a physical book, a real lighthouse that can be touched and passed on!"

Wang De'an's chest heaved violently, and he felt the blood all over his body heating up.

Having devoted his life to pure literature, he had never felt, as he did at this moment,

that he was so close to a great undertaking.

"Immediately! Call an emergency meeting!"

"I want to push out the standalone edition of The Miracles of the Namiya General Store at the fastest speed!"

Half an hour later, the atmosphere in the New Tide meeting room was as lively as New Year's Eve.

"I suggest attaching a QR code for an 'electronic drift bottle' at the end of each book!"

"This is great! Readers can scan the code to write down their worries,

and they can also randomly draw a letter and reply by playing the role of 'Grandpa Namiya'!"

"This is completely an extension of Teacher Jian Shen's philosophy!"

"Let's open another official social media account called 'worry solver reply letter',

and regularly publish excellent reader reply letters. Won't this bring about great interactivity?"

"This is no longer mere publishing; this is creating a great cultural IP!"

Listening to his subordinates chattering away in discussion, Wang De'an's face was full of gratified smiles.

However, an untimely voice rang out amidst this fiery atmosphere.

"Editor-in-Chief, personally I feel that this matter should be considered over the long term?"

Everyone's enthusiastic buzz was drawn over by this voice.

The one speaking

was Liu Feng, a very senior editor in the editorial department.

He adjusted his glasses,

and the somewhat gloomy look behind his lenses was completely out of tune with the warm atmosphere around him.

"Oh?"

Wang De'an also looked toward him.

"Tell us your reasoning."

"Editor-in-Chief, the current popularity of The Miracles of the Namiya General Store is simply too high. As the saying goes, excess is as bad as deficiency.

I think we should handle it with a cold treatment first.

Once the market sentiment stabilizes, releasing the standalone edition then might yield even better results.

Lest it give people the impression that we are in a rush to cash in."

These words sounded seasoned, prudent, and entirely reasonable.

But Wang De'an was currently immersed in the passion of pioneering a new literary model.

"Old Liu, your thinking is far too outdated!"

Wang De'an waved his hand dismissively and directly rejected his suggestion.

"What is popularity? Popularity means striking while the iron is hot! This is called going with the flow!"

"Besides, we already had the intention to publish, and Teacher 'Jian Shen' knew it was hard for us to bring up, so he gave us a huge set of steps."

"It is settled then. Tomorrow I will personally make a trip to Bailu Publishing House, and we must push forward with the highest specifications and the fastest speed!"

Inside the meeting room, the surging enthusiasm drowned things out once again.

Liu Feng sat in the corner,

and as he looked at the high-spirited Wang De'an, a cold glint flashed in his eyes that no one noticed.

He quietly lowered his head and sent a message with his phone under the table.

[The fish leaps over the dragon gate without taking the bait.]

Su Province, Jinling.

Shiyue Magazine Agency headquarters, Deputy Editor-in-Chief's office.

Fang Zhenyun looked at the message on his phone,

his expression so gloomy water could practically drip from it.

He hadn't expected

that Jian Shen not only was impervious to reason and bribes, refusing to give an opportunity for a face-to-face talk,

but was now going to publish directly.

He knew very well that once the standalone edition of The Miracles of the Namiya General Store was released

and successfully continued its online influence,

then the name Jian Shen would completely become an independent and unshakable cultural symbol.

By then, any attempt by him to recruit or suppress would be as difficult as ascending to heaven.

"Want to jump directly from a pond into the sea?"

Fang Zhenyun sneered, a fierce look flashing in his eyes.

"The sea of literature has huge winds and waves; not just any fish can swim in safely."

"Editor-in-Chief, do you need me to... mobilize some of our cooperative media resources on my end?"

The assistant by his side asked carefully.

"Media?"

Fang Zhenyun turned around and shook his finger.

"Only a fool like Wang Shouyi would choose a frontal conflict."

"Right now, the name 'Jian Shen' is a hedgehog in public opinion; whoever touches it bleeds."

He walked behind the huge mahogany desk, sat down, and tapped his fingers gently on the tabletop.

"Wanting to publish a book requires far more than just readers and enthusiasm."

"He forgot the most important thing: a book serial number!"

"Even for a top-tier provincial publisher like Bailu, wanting to apply for a book serial number in Su Province

still has to go through the Press and Publication Bureau located in Jinling."

Fang Zhenyun thought for a moment and said to his assistant:

"Help me make an appointment with Director Zhao, and say that I invite him to dinner tonight to chat about the recent trends in creation."

Fang Zhenyun's tone was breezy and carefree.

The Director Zhao he mentioned was Zhao Chuliang, a minor section chief in charge of approving book serial numbers.

Although his official post wasn't big, his actual power was not small.

The assistant immediately understood.

"Yes, I will get on it right away."

Jinling City,

inside a private club's elegantly styled private room.

Fang Zhenyun personally poured a full cup of aged Maotai for Zhao Chuliang opposite him, the fragrance of the wine overflowing.

He raised his glass with a smile, putting his posture very low:

"Director Zhao, let me toast you first.

For our Su Province literary scene to have today's clear and upright situation, you have made great contributions in your approval position."

Zhao Chuliang smiled with gratification and clinked glasses with him:

"Editor-in-Chief Fang is too polite; it's all just part of my duty."

After a few cups of wine went down, the atmosphere grew warm.

Fang Zhenyun seemed to casually bring up:

"That's right, Old Zhao, recently Wang De'an from New Tide over in Jiangcheng

is he planning to submit a book serial number?"

"Oh? There is indeed such a matter."

Zhao Chuliang put down his chopsticks.

"It's that very popular book recently, The Miracles of the Namiya General Store. Old Wang has really struck gold this time!

How about it? Editor-in-Chief Fang is also interested?"

"Of course I'm interested. Good works, who doesn't like them?"

Fang Zhenyun sighed, turning the conversation around with a hint of "concern" in his tone.

"That book is indeed written very well, and it has warmth.

But those settings inside...

Time and space intersecting, connecting the past—those are all themes that step on the red line.

Old Wang is an idealistic person who doesn't consider the consequences,

but since we are in the thick of it, we cannot help but think for him.

What if—I mean what if—

this book becomes popular, and certain people seize upon this little pigtail to make a big fuss about it,

then I'm afraid it won't just be a matter of one book;

it will affect the direction of our entire Su Province literary scene..."

He didn't finish his words, only looking at Zhao Chuliang meaningfully.

Zhao Chuliang's action of picking up food stopped mid-air,

and the drunkenness on his face instantly receded by more than half.

In his position, what he feared most was this kind of "orientation" issue that, once stuck to, could not be shaken off.

He put down his chopsticks, tapped his fingers on the table, and looked troubled:

"Editor-in-Chief Fang, this... Old Wang hasn't been in publishing for just a day,

and Bailu Publishing House over there is even more of a veteran;

surely they wouldn't make this kind of mistake, right?"

Fang Zhenyun sighed, as if he were genuinely worried for a friend:

"Old Zhao, you know how high that 'Jian Shen' is being praised right now,

and it's understandable that Old Wang wants to strike while the iron is hot to make a big splash.

But think about it:

what if a rival really does slap the label of 'propagating ghosts and deities' on it,

and when the higher-ups blame someone, will the paddle hit Old Wang,

or will it hit you in the approval department?"

This sentence precisely struck Zhao Chuliang's sore spot.

He fell silent.

Seeing that the timing was about right, Fang Zhenyun didn't press further;

he patted the back of his hand, his tone earnest:

"Old Zhao, we are friends, which is why I'm telling you these heartfelt words.

I don't want you to make things difficult for him, but I hope that as a regulatory department, you can be more prudent,

study it more, and discuss it more.

This is both helping Old Wang keep a check and letting him calm down,

and also protecting the reputation of our entire Su Province literary scene.

Being steady is always right. Don't you agree?"

"Slower, steadier..."

Zhao Chuliang chewed repeatedly on these words, his eyes flickering.

For a long time,

he finally picked up his wine glass,

took the initiative to clink glasses with Fang Zhenyun, and drained the wine in his cup in one gulp.

When he raised his head again, his gaze had already changed:

"Editor-in-Chief Fang, it's a good thing you reminded me.

This matter indeed needs to be studied carefully once more."