189: Chapter 189 Daring to Take Advantage of Even Her Sister

Editor-in-Chief Chen Ping's gaze swept back and forth between Jiang Fan and Song Siyi twice.

The atmosphere was clearly off.

Song Siyi, who was usually decisive and swift in the editorial department, had red-tinged ears at this moment, and even her fingertips seemed to have nowhere to rest.

Jiang Fan leaned back in his chair and took a sip from his water glass.

"Mr. Jiang, you and Sister Siyi…" Editor-in-Chief Chen Ping began tentatively.

"Editor-in-Chief Chen Ping, it's really nothing." Song Siyi stood up abruptly, the folder in her hand clattering onto the table. "Jiang Fan is just joking."

"Oh?" Editor-in-Chief Chen Ping adjusted his glasses. "What kind of joke could make you blush like this?"

Song Siyi opened her mouth, but she was stumped.

She couldn't very well reveal the story of Jiang Fan wetting the bed at eight years old and getting his photo taken in public.

She could only glare fiercely at Jiang Fan, her eyes full of the message, "You just wait."

Editor-in-Chief Chen Ping stopped while he was ahead and quickly steered the conversation back on track.

"Mr. Jiang, since you've already rejected Qishi, what else do we need to adjust on our end? Terms, resources, recommendation slots… you only need to ask, Zhongdian will definitely show the utmost sincerity."

"Editor-in-Chief Chen Ping." Jiang Fan interrupted. "I'm signing with Zhongdian not because you're offering more money."

Editor-in-Chief Chen Ping was stunned: "Then why?"

Jiang Fan turned his head to look at the flustered Song Siyi.

"Because Song Siyi is the sister I grew up with."

The meeting room went silent instantly.

Song Siyi's fingers tightened around the folder.

Coming from Jiang Fan now, these words carried too much weight.

Editor-in-Chief Chen Ping's gaze lingered on Song Siyi for two seconds before he immediately adjusted his sitting posture.

"Mr. Jiang, I understand. It is our luck that Zhongdian was able to sign 'journey to the west'."

Jiang Fan looked at Editor-in-Chief Chen Ping, tapping his fingertips lightly on the table as he calculated his next plan.

Web novel serialization is just the starting point; for a terrifying cultural IP like 'journey to the west', the monetization path goes far beyond the text on the screen.

What he wanted was to maximize its influence in the shortest possible time.

"Editor-in-Chief Chen Ping, I have a new idea. 'journey to the west' is massive; relying solely on web novel serialization is too slow for monetization."

Editor-in-Chief Chen Ping's expression became serious.

"I will finish the book this month and simultaneously release the physical version."

"Physical books?" Editor-in-Chief Chen Ping exchanged a look with Song Siyi. "Won't that divert online subscriptions?"

"It won't. The overlap between web novel readers and physical book buyers isn't that high. Students, the middle-aged and elderly, and the vast casual audience—many people don't read web novels, but they will definitely buy this book."

Editor-in-Chief Chen Ping tapped his fingers on his knee, weighing the pros and cons.

"Alright, I'll go talk to the publisher. I'll strive for a first print run of 500,000 copies."

"That's too few." Jiang Fan shook his head. "Print five million first."

Editor-in-Chief Chen Ping's hand stopped abruptly.

"Five million? Mr. Jiang, a first print run of five million copies, what if they end up sitting in the warehouse—"

"Don't worry, they'll sell out."

In his past life, the physical book sales of 'journey to the west' alone exceeded 50 million copies. On this Blue Star, where copyright awareness is top-tier, five million copies are just an appetizer.

Editor-in-Chief Chen Ping stared at the young face in front of him.

There wasn't a shred of arrogance in those eyes, only absolute certainty.

"Alright. I'll go talk to the publisher." Editor-in-Chief Chen Ping pushed all his doubts to the back of his mind.

Song Siyi, sitting beside them, had no room to interject.

She had been an editor for five years, and the best-selling book she had handled had a first print run of 300,000 copies, only crossing one million after three reprints—and that was a figure she only dared to report after it had been serialized for three full years.

'journey to the west' had been online for less than a month, and he was asking for a first print run of five million.

Editor-in-Chief Chen Ping stood up and shook Jiang Fan's hand firmly: "Pleasure doing business with you. I'll go contact the publisher now."

"Thank you, Editor-in-Chief Chen Ping."

The door was opened and closed again, leaving only the two of them in the meeting room.

Jiang Fan walked back to the table, picked up the kettle, poured a glass of warm water, and handed it to her.

"Drink some water."

Song Siyi reached out to take the glass, her movements somewhat stiff.

"Jiang Fan."

"Hm?"

"What you just said… is it true?"

Jiang Fan pulled out the chair opposite her and sat down.

"Sister Siyi, do you remember when I got sick at ten years old?"

Song Siyi looked up: "I remember. A forty-degree fever. Mother Fang and I were so anxious we were sweating."

"You were the one who carried me to the hospital that time." Jiang Fan looked at her. "It was two bus stops from the Orphanage to the bus station. I was delirious with fever on your back, and I only remember that the clothes on your back were soaked through with sweat."

Song Siyi's lips moved: "You still remember."

"You were only twelve back then, barely half a head taller than me. When we got to the hospital and registered, you were sitting there, and your legs kept shaking."

Song Siyi lowered her head and laughed, pulling out a tissue to dab at the corner of her eye.

"You, when you were little, you couldn't even write pinyin, but you remember these things so clearly." She sniffled. "When I was adopted back then, you were the one I was most worried about."

Jiang Fan listened quietly.

"Before I left, I secretly left my phone number with Mother Fang and told her to call me if anything happened. later, when I heard you ran off to work, I took leave to go back to the Orphanage to find you, but you were already gone."

Jiang Fan didn't speak.

The original owner of the body had been stubborn back then, always feeling that living under someone else's roof was shameful, and he wouldn't return until he had made something of himself.

"Sister Siyi, I was immature back then."

"Don't talk nonsense." Song Siyi crumpled the tissue into a ball and threw it into the trash can. "I'm happier than anyone that you've made it this far."

She put her gold-rimmed glasses back on, regaining her capable demeanor as an editor-in-chief.

"Alright, stop trying to make me emotional here. Come on, let me treat you to a meal."

"What are we eating?"

"Malatang."

Jiang Fan laughed: "A dignified editor-in-chief of a listed company, and you're treating me to Malatang?"

"Does an editor-in-chief owe you something? Are you going or not?"

The lights were just turning on, and the streets of Magic City were illuminated by neon lights.

Song Siyi drove that BMW, skillfully turning into an old alley filled with the scent of street food.

The sign was old, and half the neon tube for the words "Old Zhang's Malatang" was broken.

The landlady, in her forties, came up wearing an apron: "Little Song, you're here again?"

"Sister Zhang, the usual." Song Siyi pulled out a plastic stool and sat down, gesturing toward Jiang Fan with her chin. "And add one more for him, extra spicy."

The landlady stared at Jiang Fan several times, smiling as she wiped the table.

"Little Song, did you bring your boyfriend? He looks so dashing."

The heat that had just faded from Song Siyi's ears rose up again: "No, Sister Zhang, he is—"

"Thank you, landlady." Jiang Fan interjected naturally. "She's thin-skinned."

The landlady grinned from ear to ear: "I understand, Sister Zhang understands. I'll go cook it for you right now!"

Song Siyi's eyes went wide, and she slapped the table, lowering her voice.

"Jiang Fan! What are you doing?"

"It's just a meal, isn't it tiring explaining so much?" Jiang Fan unwrapped the disposable chopsticks and handed one pair to her.

Song Siyi grabbed the chopsticks, tapping them hard on the table to align them.

"You've gotten bold now, daring to take advantage of your sister."