mesbooks Chapter 33 Basic Operations
Chapter 33 Basic Operations
Chen Jianguo seemed to know more. Amidst his surprise and delight, he asked with concern, "Son, if it really gets published, you...you'll get a lot of money, right?"
Chen Zhiyuan nodded and said, "Yes, it should be a good income. The exact amount will have to be determined after we discuss it in detail with them today."
Hearing that there was also a considerable income, the couple was even happier.
Zhang Hui, in particular, quickly washed her hands and said happily, "Son, what do you want to eat this morning? Mom will make it for you right away!"
Chen Zhiyuan smiled as he ordered: "Mom, if possible, I'd like to eat your shredded pork noodles, with extra shredded pork and a spoonful of chili oil. I like it a little spicy."
"Okay, okay, okay!" Zhang Hui said "okay" three times in a row, her smile impossible to hide.
Chen Jianguo was also quite excited; his son had truly made something of himself.
But at the same time, he also had a slight worry, and tentatively asked, "Son, do you want... Dad to go with you? You're still young, talking about such a big thing..."
"No need, Dad." Chen Zhiyuan said confidently and calmly, "I'm over eighteen, an adult. I know how to talk to them."
To allay his parents' concerns, Chen Zhiyuan added, "Dad, don't worry, I know what I'm doing and I won't suffer any losses."
Sensing the maturity and confidence beyond his years emanating from his son, Chen Jianguo finally nodded.
He is a relatively open-minded father who generally does not interfere excessively in his son's affairs, unlike some parents who demand that everything must be done according to their own wishes.
After finishing a hearty breakfast, Chen Zhiyuan didn't rush out immediately.
The agreed time was 10:00 AM, and the location was the Jinlong Hotel in the city center—which is also the only five-star hotel in Wuhe City.
He returned to his room and tidied up the manuscript he had recently written.
I've written tens of thousands more words, which I can hand over to Zhou Shutang later, saving me the trouble of making another trip to the post office to mail them.
He roughly estimated that it had been almost a month since he started writing the book, and the total word count had exceeded 200,000. The serialized version in the newspaper had also exceeded 100,000 words.
Well, if I work a little harder and write for a few more days, reaching 300,000 words shouldn't be a problem.
In this way, the publication of the first volume will be sufficient.
The book "Those Things of the Ming Dynasty" contains more than two million words. If it is published, it is planned to be divided into seven volumes, each with about 300,000 words.
After organizing the manuscript, he went through the potential publication details in his mind, and even simulated various situations and coping strategies that might arise during later negotiations.
Before I was even ready to leave, my phone rang. It was Zhou Shutang calling; her tone was friendly and her voice was pleasant.
"Zhiyuan, you haven't left yet, have you?"
"Yes, I'm getting ready."
"I've arrived at the entrance of your residential compound. Which building do you live in? I'll come in and meet you."
"Sister Zhou, you're already in our neighborhood?" Chen Zhiyuan's voice was filled with surprise and delight. He quickly replied, "I'll be right out! Just wait for me at the entrance!"
He was wondering whether to take the bus or a taxi. Unexpectedly, Zhou Shutang was so thoughtful that she personally drove to the gate to pick him up.
Chen Zhiyuan immediately picked up the stack of neatly arranged manuscripts, which were tens of thousands of words thick, and hurriedly went out the door, almost running all the way.
He appeared at the entrance of the residential area in just a few minutes.
I spotted the familiar red sedan parked by the roadside at a glance.
He walked quickly over, opened the passenger door, and got in.
"Sister Zhou, I didn't expect you to come all the way to pick me up. Thank you so much," Chen Zhiyuan said sincerely.
Zhou Shutang smiled sweetly, her beauty captivating: "It's nothing. If you really want to thank me, just give me more manuscripts next time."
Chen Zhiyuan immediately handed over the manuscript in his hand: "Here you go, I just brought it with me, it has more than 60,000 words in total."
Zhou Shutang took the heavy stack of manuscript papers, casually flipped through them, and her face immediately lit up with surprise: "Zhiyuan, you've written so much again! This efficiency... is amazing!"
"Don't underestimate the basics," Chen Zhiyuan joked. "This is nothing. If I really put in my best effort, I could double the output."
Hearing this, Zhou Shutang smiled and rolled her eyes at him: "Zhiyuan, you're getting cocky now that I'm saying you're fat."
The two exchanged a smile, and the atmosphere inside the car became relaxed and pleasant.
The car started smoothly and stopped at the grand entrance of the Golden Dragon Hotel about twenty minutes later.
After parking the car, the two walked into the hotel, talking in hushed tones.
"Zhiyuan, the other party attaches great importance to this and is very optimistic about your book," Zhou Shutang revealed in a low voice. "They sent a vice president to lead a team of seven people, a very strong lineup."
I heard that the other party is of such a high level and has such a large presence. If it were any other young author, they would probably be under immense pressure and extremely nervous.
But Chen Zhiyuan felt nothing; he was filled with excitement and anticipation.
"Sister Zhou, I'm also very sincere this time," Chen Zhiyuan replied calmly, "I hope we can reach a result that satisfies both sides."
Led by Zhou Shutang, they took the elevator directly to the 22nd floor of the hotel, where a small conference room had already been prepared.
Because Zhou Shutang had called ahead to inform them that the other party was already waiting in the conference room.
As Chen Zhiyuan pushed open the door to the conference room, he nodded to himself.
As expected of a five-star hotel, the environment, facilities, and class of the conference room are impeccable.
His gaze quickly fell on the other group.
Even without Zhou Shutang's introduction, Chen Zhiyuan recognized Vice President Wu Shuhan at a glance—the man's aura of being in a high position for a long time, calm and reserved yet with a scholarly air, was simply too striking.
Wu Shuhan looked to be in his early forties, wearing thin-rimmed glasses, with a lean and well-maintained appearance.
He was dressed in a well-fitting dark suit without a tie, which made him appear both formal and approachable, exuding an air of elegance and competence.
Zhou Shutang immediately stepped forward and introduced with a smile: "President Wu, this is Chen Zhiyuan, the author of 'Those Things of the Ming Dynasty'."
She turned to Chen Zhiyuan, "Zhiyuan, this is Wu Shuhan, Vice President of Jiangnan Publishing Group."
Chen Zhiyuan took two steps forward, extended his hand with neither servility nor arrogance, and said with a polite smile, "Hello, Mr. Wu, I am Chen Zhiyuan."
A barely perceptible hint of surprise flashed in Wu Shuhan's eyes behind his glasses.
He had read some basic information about Chen Zhiyuan and knew that the other party was a young man who had just graduated from high school.
But when they met, the other person showed none of the naivety, restraint, or timidity common at that age. Instead, they were poised, composed, and had clear, firm eyes.
This mental fortitude and aura far beyond his years has already raised Wu Shuhan's opinion of Chen Zhiyuan to a new level.