I'm not a literary giant

Chapter 253 Twelve Monkeys
Wang Zixu asked, "How does this relate to you... to your mother again?"

He wanted to say "your mom," but then realized that it was also "my mom." He wanted to change it to "our mom," but that felt too intimate and strange, so he finally managed to squeeze out the awkward "your mom."

That's just the kind of person he is—seemingly dull, yet countless thoughts race through his mind in the blink of an eye, leading a life of immense internal conflict. Fortunately, An Younan didn't pay attention to the details of how he addressed her.

“Do you think she wouldn’t know that I came to see you during the New Year?” An Younan stirred the water. “The reason I came to see you is because I’ve been talking about you to her every day until she’s tired of hearing it, and that’s why she finally agreed to let me continue helping you.”

A warm feeling quietly spread through Prince Xu's heart, and he whispered, "Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet," An Younan said, her face devoid of joy. "Think about it, if you didn't even make it to the finals, guess how she would react?"

Wang Zixu had long since broken away from his mother's life, making it difficult to fathom her thoughts. However, judging from her eagerness to sever ties, if he were to lose this time, she would probably prefer that he and his father completely disappear from her world.

An Younan clasped her hands together, half-jokingly and half-seriously pleading, "Please, you have to make the shortlist! If I don't get selected, I'll lose face big time!"

Wang Zixu solemnly replied, "Don't worry, I will do my best even for my father's sake."

He paused, then added, "But all I know is how to bury myself in writing books. I'm completely clueless about everything else. Once the book is finished, I don't know what to do next."

Ning Chunyan, who was standing nearby, suddenly interjected, her eyes shining: "By the way! Do you think 'Fire in the Stone' has a chance to compete for the Mao Dun Literature Prize?"

All eyes immediately focused on her face.

There was silence.

Ning Chunyan immediately realized that her idea was so far-fetched and absurd that she blushed and said:

"Both my dad and teacher Li Tingfang have said that 'Spark in the Stone' is definitely worthy of the Mao Dun Literature Prize. I'm thinking, if we could win the Mao Dun Literature Prize, wouldn't that be even more prestigious than the Jade Award?"

An Younan raised an eyebrow: "Come on, even the Jade Award is uncertain, unless the Mao Dun Literature Prize is more impartial than the Jade Award."

“Yes! Just because of that ‘unless’!” Ning Chunyan’s eyes were burning. “The Mao Dun Literature Prize’s judging process is the most rigorous in China, and it will definitely allow ‘Stone Fire’ to compete fairly.”

Her implication was that, as long as everyone started on equal footing, she was confident that "Fire in the Stone" would defeat any opponent. This unconditional trust warmed Prince Xu's heart.

“Speaking of the Mao Dun Literature Prize, that’s Qingluo’s territory,” Ning Chunyan turned to Chen Qingluo, “Do you think ‘Spark in the Stone’ has a chance?”

Chen Qingluo's jade-like face remained expressionless. After a moment of silence, she gently shook her head.

“I have considered all the possibilities, but unfortunately, the probability of ‘Fire in the Stone’ winning the Mao Dun Literature Prize is zero.”

The atmosphere suddenly froze.

An Younan retorted, "Hey! Don't be so sure. Humans were able to land on the moon fifty years ago. How can there be anything 'absolutely zero'?"

"The probability of 'Spark in the Stone' winning the Mao Dun Literature Prize is zero," Chen Qingluo said calmly but resolutely.

"What's the reason?"

Chen Qingluo paused briefly before explaining in detail: "Firstly, the Mao Dun Literature Prize does not accept individual submissions; it requires nominations from organizations or groups."

An Younan immediately replied, "Then why not just have the Xihe Writers Association recommend someone? It's just a matter of a word."

"Secondly, the Mao Dun Literature Prize has a four-year evaluation cycle, and works published within the past four years are eligible to participate, which means it will compete with about two to three hundred other works."

An Younan's tone softened slightly: "Um... and then?"

"Thirdly, because of the fierce competition, no truly new writer has ever won the Mao Dun Literature Prize in its history. The only exception is when a writer revises his debut work repeatedly for more than ten years, by which time he is no longer considered a new writer." She looked at Wang Zixu, "Wang Zixu is still a new writer at present, and it is difficult for him to receive attention."

An Younan fell silent.

Chen Qingluo continued in the same tone, "Fourth..."

"There's another 'four'?!"

"Fourth," Chen Qingluo said firmly and without a doubt, "this year's Mao Dun Literature Prize winner will be me. Although 'Fire in the Stone' is good, it is no match for me."

“Uh…” An Younan and Ning Chunyan were both speechless.

After a long silence, Ning Chunyan said helplessly, "Qingluo, what you said is very demoralizing and easy to offend people, do you understand?"

"is it?"

"Yes."

Chen Qinglu thought about it seriously and tried to adjust her mindset: "Perhaps 'Fire in the Stone' can be selected for the Mao Dun Literature Prize, and then lose to me."

"Alright, alright, thank you. I can see you tried to be tactful, but it's really unnecessary. Let's leave this topic here." Ning Chunyan sighed, rubbing her forehead.

Despite the setback, Wang Zixu felt that this was the Chen Qingluo he knew: frank, strong, and almost cruelly confident in the literary field.

What he loves is this untainted purity and power.

Chen Qingluo suddenly spoke up again: "However, there is no need to worry too much about 'Fire in the Stone'. If you are really uneasy, you can pay attention to the public jury minutes of the Fei Shi Award, where you can see the judges' specific opinions on the work."

Ning Chunyan slapped the water's surface and said, "That's right! How could I have forgotten about that!"

"What? What is that?" An Younan asked hurriedly.

Ning Chunyan explained, "To ensure transparency, the judging process for the Fei Shi Awards involves holding three judging meetings before the final selection, and the content of the meetings is published. The judges will comment on each shortlisted work."

An Younan thought for a moment and said, "Is this to ensure transparency? Or is it to generate buzz?"

Ning Chunyan nodded: "I have to admit, you are sharp-tongued but also very perceptive. Their comments often deliberately lead to opposition and controversy, and hype up topics. But putting that aside, you can indeed see the judges' preferences."

An Younan pressed further, "When will the council meeting be held?"

"It's usually the first working week after the judges' list is announced..." Ning Chunyan did some quick calculations and exclaimed in surprise, "Isn't that the first week after the Spring Festival?"

Wang Zixu suddenly experienced a stomach cramp, a sensation typical of waiting for exam results.

Ning Chunyan suddenly turned to An Younan: "Didn't you say you were helping 'Fire in the Stone' with its publication? How's it going? It's not going to fall through, is it?"

An Younan raised her chin: "How could that be? Do you think I'm the kind of person who would give up just because I had a heartbreak?"

Ning Chunyan keenly noticed the phrase "emotional setback" and raised an eyebrow slightly—it seemed that An Younan's understanding of the "sibling" relationship was still off track.

But before she could say anything, An Younan immediately followed up:

“My original strategy was to use the final selection as a marketing point. But after what you said, if we can’t even make it to the finals, then we’ll have to adjust the plan.”

Ning Chunyan tried to comfort her: "It's not entirely hopeless, we'll have to see what the evaluations say..."

“We can’t wait,” An Younan interrupted decisively. “Only by publishing first can we follow up with publicity and promotion. The more buzz we generate, the better our chances of winning an award will be. Wang Zixu has a following now, so we can take advantage of that to negotiate a good contract. Editing and publishing both take time, so we must hurry.”

Ning Chunyan sincerely praised, "That makes sense. You really have a good business sense."

“Basic procedure.” An Younan turned to Wang Zixu, “From now on, don’t be stubborn, you must cooperate with the publicity.”

Wang Zixu looked bewildered: "How exactly do I do it?" "I'll arrange everything. You just need to sign the papers. If there are any book signings, interviews, or talks, just sit wherever you're told and answer whatever they ask."

An Younan spoke casually, but Wang Zixu listened with a blank expression. Ning Chunyan watched, a strange, inexplicable jealousy welling up inside her.

“Miss An, I have a question,” Ning Chunyan couldn’t help but ask, “You clearly don’t know Wang Zixu very well, so why do you seem to have more confidence in him than any of us?”

An Younan rolled her eyes: "How do you know I don't understand him as well as you do?"

Ning Chunyan counted on her fingers: "Look, although you two have this relationship, you've only known each other for a month or so, and you're not particularly enthusiastic about literature... forgive me for being frank. Why are you so convinced that his work will win an award?"

Her focus was off-target, but An Younan really couldn't answer it.

She couldn't very well say that she knew Prince Xu was the Little Prince, could she?

"Hmph, I'm wondering the same thing," An Younan retorted, "How well do you really know him? What makes you so confident in him?"

Ning Chunyan immediately straightened her back, put her hands on her hips, and spoke with righteous indignation:
"You wouldn't believe it! I'm the one who discovered him! When I met him, he hadn't published a single piece. It was I who encouraged him to submit his work, which led to his meteoric rise at the Xihe Literary Conference. You could say his writing career has grown up watching me! Of course I know him!"

An Younan sneered after hearing this: "That's it? Then you don't really know him that well. Do you know what he does in private?"

Prince Xu's heart tightened suddenly, and his body stiffened.

An Younan's personality is too unpredictable. He suspected that she might expose his little prince persona in a fit of anger, just to be competitive; she was absolutely capable of doing such a thing.

Ning Chunyan asked curiously, "What are you doing?"

"Hum..."

An Younan was about to keep him in suspense when she felt a light touch on her calf. She glanced at Wang Zixu's warning look, then changed her words, saying, "Maybe... he's a top online novelist in private?"

Although she tried to cover it up verbally, An Younan retaliated with her gaze at Wang Zixu, and at the same time kicked him underwater in revenge—"You just keep clinging to your identity like underwear! You'll ruin yourself sooner or later!"

The dangerous part was that, because she was underwater, An Younan's weak body couldn't control her strength, and she accidentally bumped into Chen Qingluo when she pulled her leg back.

Chen Qingluo immediately turned her head, her dark eyes staring silently at her, making An Younan feel uneasy.

Then, Chen Qingluo floated over silently, as if to separate An Younan and protect Wang Zixu. Under An Younan's bewildered gaze, she came to a steady stop between An Younan and Wang Zixu.

Ning Chunyan, oblivious to the underwater currents, frowned and muttered, "Wang Zixu writes web novels? His melancholic and resentful style can actually write web novels? He'd probably burst through the earth's core! Wang Zixu, are you really writing web novels?"

She looked at Wang Zixu, who cleverly went along with it: "An Younan talks a lot of nonsense. She'll say anything to put you down. You actually believed her?"

“Exactly!” Ning Chunyan immediately glared at An Younan with shared indignation.

"Heh." An Younan rolled her eyes inwardly—this silly woman, she'd probably be happily counting the money for someone who sold her out someday.

This hot spring conversation has gone on long enough, especially for Prince Xu, who was the first to enter the pool. Staying any longer would cause irreversible damage to his genitals.

Unscrupulous scientists conducted an experiment on monkeys, soaking rhesus monkeys in hot water for a period of time. Afterward, they found that the monkeys' fertility was affected. (Rhesus monkeys are often used in experiments, not because they are malicious, but simply because their genetic sequence is too similar to that of humans.)
Therefore, this experiment teaches us two lessons: first, don't soak in hot baths for too long, especially men; second, being too similar to strong people is an extremely dangerous thing.

After listening to Ning Chunyan and the others' analysis, Wang Zixu belatedly realized that he was in a dangerous situation: "Fire in the Stone" was on a path to "godhood," a path already crowded with true gods.

When people examine this book, they will subconsciously compare it with those masterpieces that have already been hailed as gods. From this perspective, it is inevitable that flaws will be found. From the perspective of the judges' personal preferences, it is by no means a "pleasing" work.

Of course, Prince Xu was powerless to change this. The original intention behind this work was never to please anyone.

……

After changing into a soft bathrobe, Wang Zixu sat in the rest area for a while. He bought a sports drink from a vending machine and sipped it slowly to replenish the electrolytes he had lost. He then sat down on a bench next to the pool table, picked up a cue stick, and aimed at it for a long time, but ultimately didn't make the shot.

After an unknown amount of time, a figure tiptoed to his side. Prince Xu did not turn around. A familiar scent of shampoo, carrying a fresh floral and fruity fragrance, wafted through the air—the one Ning Chunyan often used.

"Where are Chen Qingluo and An Younan?" he asked without turning his head. "Aren't you two together?"

"Qingluo is sulking." Ning Chunyan's voice rang out beside her. "An Younan has been up to some tricks again, going to 'socialize' with those people from the Writers' Association."

"Qingluo... what's she sulking about?"

"You don't care what your sister is 'socializing' about?" Ning Chunyan pointed out the shift in his focus.

Wang Zixu was momentarily speechless, then realized that he had subconsciously only caught the part of her words that mentioned Chen Qingluo, and immediately felt somewhat embarrassed.

“She didn’t seem angry when I left,” he tried to explain.

Ning Chunyan snorted lightly: "She's angry with you."

"Huh?" Prince Xu turned around in surprise.

A woman who has just emerged from a bath always seems even more radiant, for some unknown reason. Ning Chunyan stood gracefully to the side, her skin glowing with a healthy rosy hue after her bath.

She changed into a white cotton bathrobe provided by the resort, the belt loosely tied to accentuate her slender waist. Her slightly damp long hair cascaded casually over her shoulders, the ends still carrying a hint of moisture. Beneath the bathrobe, a pair of straight, shapely legs were exposed, their lines flowing and graceful.

At this moment, her eyes were fixed on Prince Xu, a faint yet meaningful smile playing on her lips:
"Did you send Qingluo a particularly perfunctory New Year's greeting on the first day of the Lunar New Year? That's why she's sulking."

Wang Zixu hurriedly explained, "I swear! I absolutely didn't just say that! She sent me a 'Happy New Year,' and I replied with the same 'Happy New Year.' What... what's wrong with that?"

“Oh—I see.” Ning Chunyan drawled out her words, as if she understood. “But you should know that Qingluo has never taken the initiative to send holiday greetings to people. She says that’s ineffective socializing and a complete waste of time.”

“Ah…” Prince Xu was stunned.

“So,” Ning Chunyan leaned forward slightly, “that ‘Happy New Year’ message she sends you on her own initiative may only have four words on the surface, but it carries a lot of weight. If you only reply with those dry four words, she’ll say you’re being perfunctory, and that’s not unfair at all.”

The prince was speechless.

How can this not be an injustice? It's an absolute injustice!

“Oh, right,” he suddenly remembered something, “how did you know she was angry with me because of this? It doesn’t seem like something she would tell you on her own initiative.”

Ning Chunyan said, "Because I showed her the short essay you sent me during the New Year, and she got angry after reading it."

So that's where the crux of the problem lies.

Ning Chunyan, with her hands behind her back, continued, "Girls are often emotional creatures. If they feel that their efforts are not reciprocated, they will always feel uncomfortable. Don't misunderstand, this doesn't necessarily mean that she likes you or anything; it's just her nature."

She paused, her gaze sweeping across his face: "Qingluo has a lot of affection for you, and An Younan has been incredibly attentive to you. Think about it, how do you plan to repay so many favors? Be careful, though, when girls get vengeful, it can be quite terrifying."

Wang Zixu was a little confused by her words: "Are you trying to kindly remind me, or... are you just joking?"

“Neither,” Ning Chunyan denied, her gaze suddenly sharpening as it shone directly at him like a searchlight. “I just want to ask you, is there really something you’re hiding from me?”

Prince Xu was caught off guard by the question: "What could I possibly have to hide?"

“For example…” Ning Chunyan took a step closer, her voice lowered but each word clear, “your relationship with the ‘Little Prince’?”

(End of this chapter)