Chapter 65: Discussing Plans to Go Singing

Just after finishing her rough draft, Miaomiao sent a nudge through the chat window.

For her, Lin Xia had set her status to “invisible except to some.” In her past life, Lin Xia was the type to lurk quietly online, a habit she found nearly impossible to break, so she only allowed a few important people to see when she was online.

Miaomiao: I read your first chapter and I have a feeling you’re writing another tragedy. *crying*

Liuyan: Uh, can I say you know me too well?

Miaomiao: You heartless stepmother, you villain. Can’t you write something healing, something happy for us readers? My fragile heart really can’t take it anymore.

Reading Miaomiao’s words, Lin Xia laughed.

After chatting with her for so long, Miaomiao had unconsciously picked up quite a few internet slang expressions that would only become popular years later.

Fortunately, Lin Xia’s identity as a writer gave her a convenient cover—writers, by definition, are creators, so she never worried much about it.

Miaomiao often muttered about where Lin Xia got all her ideas—words like “classmate,” “heartbreak,” “villain,” and so on. Of course, as Lin Xia’s editor, Miaomiao borrowed them shamelessly, with no sense of guilt.

Now, the entire editorial team’s group chat was filled with these expressions, and when editors chatted with their writers, those words naturally slipped in as well, bringing writers and editors a bit closer.

This was something neither Miaomiao nor Lin Xia had anticipated.

Every time they chatted, whenever Miaomiao acted cute, Lin Xia felt like crying—it was just too much! Acting cute like that should be a crime!

Yet at the same time, she had to admit, acting cute was truly the way to go. The trend had swept through the online department of “Fine Rain” magazine. Whenever female editors spoke, they’d unconsciously add a touch of cuteness.

Naturally, seeing the positive results, the editors only leaned into it more and more.

Seeing that Lin Xia hadn’t replied, Miaomiao wrote again: “Even if it’s the usual sad story, your writing is still as gorgeous as ever. Reading it makes me drool, really drool. I approve it here, and tomorrow I’ll show it to the chief editor.”

Liuyan: It’s clearly a fresh and simple style, where is it gorgeous?

Miaomiao: Look at this line, “At dusk, the pale twilight draped gently over his hair, turning the bustle into silence.”

And this one: “Looking up, you could see flocks of migratory birds slowly passing overhead, flying through the fleeting years, flying past those tender feelings. Youth, beneath their gray wings, gave off a faint and obscure light.”

And: “His smile was extremely light and faint, but like the dazzling North Star, it pierced her eyes painfully.”

Liuyan: ...Are you just quoting lines from the novel to show off?

Miaomiao: See? Where’s the simplicity? It’s obviously blatantly gorgeous!

Liuyan: Then it’s “subtle grandeur.”

Miaomiao: Call it what you want—subtle grandeur is still grandeur. There’s no arguing that!

Liuyan: ...Sharp tongue, you.

As they were chatting, QQ pinged again—it was Xie Xitong.

On her QQ, she had only five friends. Besides Miaomiao and Xie Xitong, there was just the newly acquainted You Xin.

Xie Xitong’s online name was simple: Face Fan.

But no one thought much of it. Ever since Liuyan published two books, searching for “Liuyan” on QQ would turn up two or three hundred people.

Face Fan: Still online? Not reading?

Liuyan: Was just about to log off.

Face Fan: What are you doing tomorrow?

Liuyan: Reading.

Face Fan: Boring. Let’s go out and enjoy the spring. Let’s call Qianqian and Xiaoxiao, my brother, and You Xin. What do you think?

When she saw Chen Zimo’s name, Lin Xia hesitated for a moment, but thought of her friends.

Liuyan: Not feeling well, you know—stomachache.

Face Fan: Oh, right, never mind then. I won’t push it. I’ll come find you at noon.

Liuyan: Okay, but only after two o’clock. Don’t wake me up from my nap.

Face Fan: You pig! All you do is eat, sleep, or read. Even pigs are more active than you.

Lin Xia was speechless, but it was true.

A homebody, after all, is someone who, except for eating and sleeping, spends all their time at home and sees nothing wrong with it.

But for a girl Xie Xitong’s age, not being active, not socializing, not making friends—it was a bit odd.

At this time, the word “homebody” didn’t even exist.

Alas, as a true homebody, she preferred online shopping to going out, let alone outings in the countryside.

There was one exception, though—singing. She truly loved to sing. The only problem was, whenever she sang, she drank water relentlessly and ended up running to the bathroom constantly.

Liuyan: I want to sing.

Face Fan: Great, great! I want to go too—it’s been ages.

After knowing each other so long, they’d never gone to karaoke together, and now that they discovered their shared interest, it was a pleasant surprise.

Face Fan: By the way, rumor has it that Yan Da also loves to sing.

Liuyan: Where did you hear that?

Face Fan: Oh, I’ve got contacts at “Fine Rain” magazine. Don’t ask! Looks like I’ll have to practice—maybe someday I’ll be able to sing with Yan Da. Can’t embarrass myself in front of the great one.

Just as she was about to reply to Xie Xitong, Miaomiao’s chat window popped up again—she’d sent another nudge, and a long message.

The last message read: Where did you go?

Liuyan: Nature calls—I just went to the restroom.

Glancing at the clock, it was ten minutes to ten. She hurriedly wrote: I’m going to bed now, there’s an outing tomorrow.

Miaomiao: Go ahead, just don’t forget your draft.

Liuyan: Lady Meow, don’t you have my phone number? You can call on me anytime.

Miaomiao: ...This child, you really know how to talk.

Liuyan: (fawning) It’s all thanks to your excellent tutelage, let me massage your legs!

Miaomiao: Haha, stop flattering me and go to bed.

Liuyan: You too, sleep early. Don’t stay up late on the forums. Night.

Miaomiao: Night.

She closed the chat window with her editor and opened Xie Xitong’s window—sure enough, there were a pile of messages.

She left a quick message: Logging off now, I’ll call you. Then Lin Xia shut down the computer.

After staring at the screen for hours, her eyes felt strained—she didn’t want to end up severely nearsighted like in her previous life.

No sooner had she turned off the computer and locked her study door than Xie Xitong called.

“Hello—”

“Seriously, let’s go sing tomorrow. If you agree, I’ll organize it!” Xie Xitong was in high spirits. “Wow, it’s really been so long—I’m itching for it now.”

Lin Xia teased, laughing, “You’re itching? You must need a beating. Come over here, I’ll knock that out of you.”

“You’re the one who needs a beating!”

They discussed what to bring, then chatted idly for a while before hanging up.

She checked the time—already half past ten. After a quick shower, Lin Xia went to bed.