Outside the window, a melodious sea breeze blew, and the sound of cicadas rose and fell.
After returning home well-fed and satisfied, Fang Qiu had intended to pick up her pen and write immediately to repay her editor for the meal.
But after penning just the title, the chirping of the cicadas outside made her incredibly drowsy.
So, she decided to take a nap first.
Sharpening the axe does not delay the woodcutter's work.
To do a good job, one must first sharpen one's tools.
Lack of sleep is an author's greatest obstacle. Better to sleep first and think carefully about how to express Titanic in written form.
Although Your Lie in April is closer to the modern era, Titanic has even stronger modern elements by comparison, meaning there are more places that require modification.
And so, more than twenty days passed.
"Phew... finally finished."
Looking at the thick stack of manuscripts before her, Fang Qiu nodded with satisfaction.
She stood up and stretched her lazy waist; as her body extended, a large expanse of snow-white skin was exposed to the air.
Work finished, time to reward herself with a Lotus Cake.
Although the manuscript fee hadn't been issued yet, there was the ten thousand Mora reward.
So, she had lived very comfortably this month.
Eating well, drinking well, and sleeping well.
Thinking back now to when she first transmigrated, surviving a week on twenty Mora and often waking up in the middle of the night from hunger, Fang Qiu couldn't help but sigh with emotion.
After lamenting about life for a bit, Fang Qiu changed into a casual set of clothes, tidied up her appearance, and went out with the manuscript.
Destination: Liyue Publishing House.
When Fang Qiu arrived at the editorial office of Liyue Publishing House, the editors were busy as bees.
Fang Qiu spotted Bai Qing at a glance, sitting by the window, reviewing a manuscript with a serious expression.
The noise of Fang Qiu entering the office also alerted Bai Qing, who immediately saw the thick stack of manuscripts in Fang Qiu's hands.
"Is that your manuscript?"
Bai Qing asked.
"Mhm."
Fang Qiu nodded.
"Perfect timing. Inazuma has contacted us for cooperation to open up channels between our sides. We need to arrange a batch of books to go to Inazuma. Your Your Lie in April has already been scheduled for the first batch. If there are no issues with your new work, it should make it in time to go with them."
Bai Qing said thoughtfully.
"Cooperation with Inazuma?"
Fang Qiu was slightly stunned.
"Yes, this happened a few days ago."
Bai Qing covered her forehead and told Fang Qiu the entire sequence of events.
Apparently, someone brought Xingqiu's book to Inazuma, and it unexpectedly exploded in popularity across the entire region.
After Inazuma ended the Vision Hunt Decree, the Sakoku Decree was also relaxed.
So, Inazuma's Yae Publishing House sent someone to contact the person in charge at Liyue Publishing House, expressing hope to obtain Xingqiu's distribution rights and a series of copyrights through Liyue Publishing House.
They also hope that both publishing houses can open up channels to each other and distribute their bestsellers in the other region.
Channel revenue will be split fifty-fifty.
So, they have been working overtime for several days, just to catch the Crux Fleet setting sail and bring this batch of books over.
"I see, understood."
Fang Qiu nodded thoughtfully.
She was familiar with 'channels'.
Urban power fantasy novels specialized in distribution channels. In her past life when she was still writing, she often heard news about channel tycoons earning millions a month.
Simply terrifying.
Seeing that Fang Qiu understood, Bai Qing couldn't help but sigh in relief.
This was quite complicated to explain. An hour ago, when she explained it to another author, that author actually asked her: in a fifty-fifty split between the two publishers, who is the fifty...?
Hearing that, she was stunned for a long time...
After exchanging a few pleasantries, seeing that Bai Qing was very busy, Fang Qiu didn't disturb her further. She left the manuscript on Bai Qing's desk and departed.
Leaving the publishing house, Fang Qiu went straight home.
Passing by a dim sum shop, she bought half a jin of Lotus Cakes.
...
Time flowed slowly.
Liyue Publishing House.
"Phew, finally finished proofreading."
Bai Qing let out a long breath and stretched, letting out a low groan as she felt the relief spreading through her body.
What she was proofreading was none other than Xingqiu's A Legend of Sword.
Honestly, this was the first time she had endured the scrawled handwriting to finish reading Xingqiu's original manuscript.
Although she finished it...
She still couldn't figure out how this book had exploded in popularity in Inazuma...
Once, she went to Wanwen Bookhouse to observe reader habits. She saw Xingqiu's self-printed A Legend of Sword displayed on the bookstand. She sat there for a whole afternoon; even Sword Glint and Shadow, which Fang Qiu had written back then, had two people spend money to buy two copies.
That copy of A Legend of Sword was clearly free, yet absolutely no one wanted it.
Someone did pick it up to look at it during that time, but after reading two pages, the person shook their head and cursed, "What trash, I wouldn't take it even if it's free," before throwing the book back.
But how is it that once it reached Inazuma, it became so popular that Inazuma's Yae Publishing House actively contacted Liyue Publishing House?
This was truly baffling.
Do Inazuman people really understand novels?
She rubbed her temples and cast her gaze out the window. After recovering slightly from the mental exhaustion caused by reading Xingqiu's novel, she picked up Fang Qiu's manuscript with anticipation.
Good novels can heal the human soul.
However, the three words "The Eternal" written crookedly on the manuscript title made Bai Qing's temples start throbbing again.
"Sigh... this handwriting..."
Bai Qing covered her forehead.
She had originally thought that the reason the handwriting for Fang Qiu's previous book, Your Lie in April, was so poor was because she was rushing the manuscript.
Unexpectedly, this book's handwriting was just as scrawled.
It hadn't changed in the slightest...
"Forget it, just bear with it."
Bai Qing sighed.
And so, she opened the first page of the manuscript.
The story began.
Just as Fang Qiu had told her a month ago, the story started in the era of the old Mondstadt aristocracy.
A ship as massive as a cliff face was moored at the seaside harbor. At the harbor, a noble girl named Rose made her entrance.
She boarded the noble cabins of the giant ship with her mother and her fiancé, Cal.
In just a short section of the plot, Bai Qing was once again shocked by Fang Qiu's writing style.
Whether it was the majestic description of the giant ship at the start, or the indirect depiction of the girl's dissatisfaction with noble life and her own destiny, everything was vividly displayed.
Even Rose's fiancé, Cal, had his character established distinctly through a short dialogue between Rose's mother and Cal.
"Is this the unsinkable ship they speak of?"
"Yes, it will never sink. Even the Anemo Archon couldn't sink it."
A seemingly elegant and steady, but internally arrogant and domineering ignorant noble leapt off the page.
At the same time, it also showed his immense wealth.
Just his carry-on luggage occupied several rooms.
"As expected of Fang Qiu."
Except for the poor handwriting, the writing style is simply impeccable.
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