Started as a comics editor

Chapter 24 Are you mentally retarded?

ten minutes later.

Tang Yao calmed down and returned to the editorial office of "Big Comic".

Because it was lunchtime, there were not many people in the editorial office.

Ding Yillong was sitting in his seat at this moment, his face looking uglier than ever.

There was a man standing next to him, who looked to be in his forties, wearing thin-framed glasses and had a slim figure. He did not have the typical belly and greasy temperament of a middle-aged man, but instead exuded the dullness unique to science and engineering men.

Tang Yao didn't recognize the man, but judging by his clothes and demeanor, he was most likely not an editor... The man also had a rather ugly expression on his face.

"..."

Tang Yao observed the two of them, frowned, and faintly smelled the scent of trouble.

She walked over slowly.

The man wearing thin-framed glasses saw Tang Yao coming over, and a look of surprise appeared in his eyes. He seemed to have not expected that there would be such a person in the editorial department. He turned around and looked at Ding Yillong.

It seems to be asking, is this the editor?
Ding Yillong still had a sullen face and nodded imperceptibly.

The man with the thin-framed glasses reacted and looked at Tang Yao again. Then, without waiting for Ding Yilong to speak, he said, "You are the editor of Girl, Boy and Sword, right? Hello, I'm Shang Tao, the new media director. I'd like to discuss something with you."

His tone was a little anxious, but not aggressive. On the contrary, it was quite polite.

"Hello... I'm Tang Yao, the former editor of Girls, Boys and Swords."

When Tang Yao heard this, she thought of the topic she had just discussed with Miss Li, and vaguely guessed something. She also introduced herself, but specifically emphasized the past tense.

"……Before?"

When Shang Tao heard this answer, he was slightly stunned and turned to look at Ding Yillong again.

He was obviously asking what was going on.

"Don't talk nonsense."

the other side.

Ding Yilong was also a little anxious, but he kept a straight face and put on a good show. He slowly picked up the magazine on the table, turned it to the last page of "Girl, Boy and Sword", and threw it in front of Tang Yao: "This! You wrote this, right? What's going on?"

Tang Yao glanced down and casually replied, "AORI."

"What nonsense are you talking about!?"

Ding Yilong was obviously dissatisfied with this answer and scolded, "Of course I know it's AORI. What I'm asking is what does this AORI mean? What is a malicious collective? Is it a dream or reality? Since you wrote such an AORI, do you know something? Why did Mr. Ou draw such a plot? How will it unfold later? Explain it to me!"

"?"

Hearing this, Tang Yao slowly raised her head, then looked at the editor in front of her with an expression that looked at her as if she was mentally retarded: "Explain? Why would you draw such a plot? Editor, are you mentally retarded?"

"What did you say?"

Ding Yillong was stunned for a moment, and then the veins on his forehead suddenly popped up.

Tang Yao calmly repeated, "I said, are you mentally retarded?"

boom--

Ding Yilong slammed the table, his face grim. "You just can't seem to learn to respect your superiors, right?! Is that how you talk to your boss?!"

"Did I say something wrong?"

Tang Yao raised her right hand and pointed her index finger at his desk, where the manuscripts for the next issue were piled.

Because it is a biweekly, there is more time than a weekly magazine, so many cartoonists have manuscripts on hand: "You are not even willing to bow your head? Why would Mr. Ou draw such a plot? You ask me? The manuscripts appear on your desk every week, and now you ask me why I draw such a plot?

Didn't I mention this to you the day before yesterday? I remember telling you clearly that he was just drawing randomly. What was your response then? ... 'There's something wrong with Mr. Ou's drawings! Do you think you know better than him!?'

Have you forgotten? Even if you asked me at the last minute before printing, I would have replied seriously, but you ask me now?

If you are not mentally retarded, what are you?"

Ding Yilong glanced down at the table, his expression stiffening for a moment, but he quickly reacted. He immediately looked up at Tang Yao and raised his voice, as if to make himself seem more reasonable: "...I'm asking you a question! Not asking you to shirk responsibility!"

"Shifting the blame? Are you sure I'm the one shifting the blame?"

Tang Yao looked him in the eye without fear. "Why don't you look in the mirror and take a look at your face? Oh, now that something's wrong, you're asking me to explain and you're eager to pass the buck. What were you doing before that? Where's your confidence? Where's that attitude of you having everything under control?"

Ding Yilong became even more anxious, his voice became louder, and his expression became even more ferocious: "...Am I the boss now? Or are you the boss?!"

"You're the boss."

the other side

Tang Yao's expression remained unchanged. She curled her lips and replied, "You're asking me a question, huh? Then I'll explain it to you now. I told you in advance that Mr. Ou was scribbling, but you ignored it. What happened next? Sorry, I'm no longer responsible for Mr. Ou. Just like you said the day before yesterday, I'm a hopeless case and I'm not worthy of being his editor-in-chief. As for AORI, I'm just doing my job. Based on the content of Mr. Ou's current episode, I'm warming up for the next one. It's that simple.

Is there anything else you want to ask? What answer do you want? Because of that AORI, do you think I know what's going to happen next and want to change the status quo? Or do you want me to cry in front of you, admit that I was wrong, and admit that this incident was all my fault?

Hearing Tang Yao's words.

Ding Yilong's thoughts seemed to have been exposed. His face gradually turned red, and he was furious. "Stop talking nonsense! I'm asking about AORI!!"

"Okay, I wrote AORI."

Tang Yao nodded, then raised her snow-white chin slightly and said, "And then? I've already explained the reason. What answer do you want now? So what do you need me to do now? Please give me your instructions, Chief Editor."

"..."

Ding Yillong was stuck when he heard this, and he hurriedly went to find Tang Yao.

After all.

I just want her to take the blame.

Because the matter was quite serious, the attitude of the vice president Zhao Fangsheng also made him feel very uneasy.

Although he said that he would use AORI to appease the readers, he had no idea how to appease them or what the subsequent development of "Girl and Girl und Sword" would be.

This is when the responsible editor needs to take responsibility.

Regardless of whether the other party has such ability or not, as long as he bows his head in front of him and says sorry, he can justifiably let the matter go.

Whether the current situation can be changed in the future is no longer his business. At least the main problem does not lie with him. After all, the cartoonists are coordinated by the editors below, and AORI was also written by the editors below. At most, he just failed to supervise properly.

However, he didn't expect that after such an incident... Tang Yao would not be afraid at all, and would be completely merciless and directly throw the problem back.

Even more aggressive than himself.

His face paled and blue, and his long-held anger, dissatisfaction, and shame suddenly erupted. "Isn't this your problem?! What's with your attitude?! Take responsibility!"

"My problem? Responsibility?"

Tang Yao looked at Ding Yilong as if he were trash and said coldly, "I went four times this week, trying everything I could to change Mr. Ou's mind. I told you twice to contact him personally, but the first time you ignored me! The second time, you called me a hopeless case and accused me of harassing him. Now you're asking me to take responsibility? Now you're asking me to be held accountable? Do you think you're worthy enough?"
What were you doing before? Why did Ou Congquan draw such a plot? Don't you know everything? Oh, no, you don't, because you, an arrogant idiot...you haven't even read the other party's original manuscript!
Now that problems have arisen, you're just shirking responsibility. Just because you said "AORI," you think I have a solution? Will I take responsibility? I'm telling you now! That's your responsibility! I can't do anything! I tried my best last week. What do you want me to do? Tell me now, and I'll do it.

But you, an idiot who only knows how to put on airs, can you say it? Can you come up with a practical and feasible plan?"

Ding Yillong's eyes widened like bells and he stood up suddenly.

boom--

Because he was too anxious, his fat body hit the table directly, making a loud noise, which attracted the attention of the few editors in the editorial office.

Tang Yao was not afraid at all. She took a step forward and looked him straight in the face. "Tell me, what do you want me to do? After this happened, besides shirking responsibility, did you even think about how to solve the problem? Before you came to me, did you personally contact Ou Congquan? Do you have any ideas about how to solve the problem?"

Ding Yilong was panting heavily, and seemed to be very angry. He shouted directly: "I'm asking you a question!!!"

"I'm asking you now!!"

Tang Yao supported herself on the table with both hands, leaning forward slightly, staring intently at the editor-in-chief in front of her, and shouted, "I wrote AORI! So what? Don't tell me that because I wrote AORI, you think I have a way. I have no way. What do you want me to do now!"

"You, you go contact Teacher Ou!"

Ding Yillong met Tang Yao's cold eyes and was furious, but even so, he could not express himself clearly.

"and then?"

Tang Yao pressed on, "Do you know how far the plot has progressed? Do you know why he drew it this way? Do you know what he's thinking? Have you thought about how to change his mind? Have you read Ou Congquan's comics?"

"..."

Ding Yillong opened his mouth, but couldn't say anything.

"You have nothing to say except to shirk responsibility? As the editor-in-chief, he doesn't even read the original manuscripts. He only cares about sales, sales, sales. He doesn't understand the important authors under his management, doesn't listen to the suggestions of the editors under him, and doesn't consider the feelings of the readers who buy the magazine every week."

A sneer crossed Tang Yao's beautifully pale face. "Before the problem arose, you acted so arrogant and conceited that it was disgusting. Then, when the problem arose, you were completely helpless and immediately blamed someone else. You couldn't even come up with a practical solution. Look at the sign on your desk. Do you think you're worthy of being editor-in-chief?"

Speaking of which.

She removed her hand and straightened up again: "What a piece of shit! You're like a piece of shit! You can't even help yourself!"

Say it.

Turn around directly.

Ding Yillong's breathing stagnated. He looked at Tang Yao's back, his eyes suddenly widened, and he felt the blood rushing to his head, and his face turned red in an instant.

(End of this chapter)