75: If the two meet

2 AM, Jiangcheng, New Tide Magazine Office.

The ashtray on Wang De'an's desk was piled high with cigarette butts.

The monitor's bluish light shone on his oily face,

reflecting his bloodshot, yet terrifyingly bright eyes.

The document contained the new book outline sent by “Jian Shen.”

There was no complex formatting, just a few lines of text.

[Title: The Ferryman]

[Core Concept: If fate is a lonely river, who will be the ferryman for your soul?]

[Synopsis: Dylan, a single-parent girl whose life is a mess.

She gets into a car accident on her way to see her long-unseen father.

When she crawls out of the wreckage, thinking she's the only survivor, she discovers the world has become a wasteland.

There is no sun, only endless night and demons.

And at the end of the wasteland, a boy waits for her.

He says, “My name is Tristan, and I am your ferryman.”

...]

Wang De'an's finger gently slid over the mouse scroll wheel, his breathing growing heavy as he delved deeper into the text.

This was not the gentle, healing warmth of The Miracles of the Namiya General Store.

This was a grand allegory about death, redemption, and love.

If The Miracles was a cup of hot cocoa on a winter's day,

then The Ferryman was a pot of strong liquor, burning the throat as it went down,

but making one feel intensely alive in the freezing cold.

"Wasteland..."

Wang De'an muttered to himself.

He lit his last cigarette and took a deep drag.

The pungent smoke swirled in his lungs, then emerged as a long sigh.

"Jian Shen, Jian Shen, what kind of person are you, really?"

To be able to write the delicate The Miracles,

and also construct the bleak and magnificent worldview of The Ferryman.

This was definitely not something an ordinary literati could achieve.

This required a profound understanding of life and death, and even... a certain compassion that overlooked all beings.

Wang De'an picked up his phone, wanting to call Jian Shen,

but glanced at the time and put it back down.

He stood up, walked to the window, and pushed it open.

The cold wind of early morning rushed in, dispelling the room's smoky smell.

In the distance, most of Jiangcheng's lights had gone out.

"Fu Bencai."

Wang De'an looked south.

"You want to pick the peach? This peach, I'm afraid your teeth will break before you can bite into it."

...Jiangcheng No. 1 High School.

After several days of fermentation, the excitement surrounding the special prize

not only didn't cool down, but actually showed a tendency to intensify.

As soon as Lin Que entered the classroom, he felt that the atmosphere was off.

Wu Di, who was usually boisterous, was unusually quiet today.

He was slumped over his desk,

holding a newly distributed school magazine, his expression solemn.

"What's wrong?"

Lin Que shoved his schoolbag into the desk.

"Ate too much for breakfast?"

Wu Di suddenly looked up, his eyes a little red.

"Brother Que."

Wu Di sniffled,

pushed the school magazine in front of Lin Que, pointing to the printed the person waiting to die.

"Did you really write this?"

Lin Que glanced at it.

"Otherwise?"

Lin Que took out his thermos and took a sip of water.

"What, was it so bad it made you cry?"

"Bad my ass!"

Wu Di slapped the desk, making the water cup wobble.

"I took it home for my mom to read, and my mom, that iron-hearted strong woman,

actually cried while reading it, and for once didn't force me to do advanced math problems, and even peeled an apple for me."

He looked at Lin Que, his eyes complex:

"Brother Que, you usually seem so carefree,

I didn't expect you to hide so many things in your heart? How did you think of that homeless man?"

Lin Que almost spat out his water.

"Artistic embellishment, understand?"

Lin Que pulled out a tissue and wiped his mouth.

"Originates from life, but transcends life."

"I don't believe it."

Wu Di shook his head, an 'I know everything' expression on his face.

"Brother Que, don't pretend anymore. This kind of genuine emotion can't be made up. From now on, I'll do your homework. Sleep whenever you want, don't get too tired."

From now on, I'll do your homework. Sleep whenever you want, don't get too tired.

Lin Que looked at Wu Di's sincere big face, and finally could only sigh helplessly.

"Alright, then help me take notes for this math class first."

After speaking, Lin Que comfortably lay down on the desk,

pulling his school uniform jacket over his head.

In the darkness, he wasn't sleeping.

His consciousness sank into his mind; he was conceiving the first chapter of The Ferryman.

The wasteland setting needed sufficient visual impact.

That grim, oppressive feeling, and that tiny glimmer of light when Tristan appeared.

As he was thinking, his phone vibrated in his pocket.

Lin Que secretly pulled it out and glanced at it.

It was a message from Lulu, the editor-in-charge at Hong Guo Net.

[Lulu: Great author! The data for the human world is like a prison exploded yesterday!

Especially the chapter "Boring Competition," readers are all guessing if it alludes to reality. Also, a big director from the film and television rights side is interested in this script and wants to meet you for a discussion.]

Lin Que tapped his finger, replying with two words.

[No discussion.]

[Lulu: Great author! That's National Master Director Zhang! Won't you reconsider?]

[Lulu: Great author! That's National Master Director Zhang! Won't you reconsider?]

[Dream Weaver: The script isn't finished yet, and the ending might collapse. Reject it.]

After sending this message, Lin Que put his phone back in his pocket and changed his posture to continue lying down.

On the podium, the math teacher was lecturing, spitting everywhere.

"This question is a must-know! It wasn't on the exam the past two years, so it's definitely on this year's. Take notes or don't, I don't care!"

As he spoke, his gaze shifted to the student in the back row covered by a school uniform.

"Everyone, look up!

Some students shouldn't think that just because they won an essay award, they can ignore math.

The college entrance exam isn't just about essays!"

Lin Que slowly sat up, rubbed his forehead,

and under the sympathetic gaze of the whole class,

picked up his pen and began drawing a map of the wasteland on his scratch paper...After school in the afternoon, Lin Que was called to the office by Teacher Shen.

"Sit."

Teacher Shen pointed to the chair opposite her desk,

while she herself organized a stack of composition books.

Teacher Shen was a little different today.

She wasn't wearing her usual strict professional attire,

but had changed into an off-white knitted sweater, making her look much softer.

"How's the speech draft coming along?"

Teacher Shen asked without looking up.

"Almost there."

Lin Que casually lied.

"Still revising."

"Don't fool me."

Teacher Shen stopped what she was doing, looked up, and her clear eyes met Lin Que's.

"Lin Que, there's something I want to ask you."

Lin Que's heart skipped a beat.

"Please ask."

Lin Que remained calm on the surface.

Teacher Shen took a magazine from her drawer; it was the latest issue of New Tide.

The cover featured a large poster of The Miracles of the Namiya General Store.

"What do you think of this book?"

Lin Que glanced at the familiar cover and blinked:

"It's pretty good. Healing, warm, full of positive energy. It's simply a treasure of contemporary literature."

Teacher Shen's mouth twitched.

"Stop being glib."

She opened the magazine and pointed to a passage.

"I mean, this style.

It's completely opposite to the human world is like a prison online. One is extreme gentleness, the other is extreme cruelty."

"That's normal."

Lin Que leaned back in his chair, looking like he was discussing academics.

"Everyone has two sides, you know. Just like you, usually fierce like an old... cough cough, aren't you quite gentle in this outfit today?"

Just like you, usually fierce like an old... cough cough, aren't you quite gentle in this outfit today?"

Teacher Shen glared at him, ignoring his teasing.

"I've been wondering recently, if these two authors were to meet one day..."

Teacher Shen was deep in thought.

"What would that scene be like?"

Lin Que's fingers tapped lightly on his knee.

"When they meet, they'd probably... fight."

Lin Que smiled.

"Or, sit down for tea and chat about how to torment readers?"

"Alright, I won't get anything useful asking you."

Alright, I won't get anything useful asking you.

Teacher Shen closed the magazine, rubbing her temples somewhat wearily.

"Don't go overboard with Monday's speech. Director Fei repeatedly warned me not to let you write something off-topic!"

Lin Que stood up, walked to the door, and suddenly stopped.

"Teacher."

"Hm?"

"Actually, whether it's gentleness or cruelty, all roads lead to the same destination."

Lin Que's back was to her, his voice very soft.

"It's all about making people live."

After speaking, he pulled open the door and walked out.

Teacher Shen looked at the empty doorway, lost in thought for a long time.

She reopened the New Tide magazine,

her gaze falling on the words “Jian Shen,” and murmured to herself.

"Do all roads really lead to the same destination?"

...