Recount of a Cannon Fodder’s Counterattack (4)
Like this, Wang Lizhi was able to use Lu Shijin and sign with the marketing company to create a genius author persona. Since Wang Lizhi also had a good appearance, the marketing company directly marketed him as the literary world’s idol, able to draw many die-hard fans to him.
Every time Wang Lizhi had an in-person signing, the place would be filled with people on par with celebrities.
Being with the marketing company meant that a lot of money was going to the company, and Wang Lizhi didn’t like that.
Not long after, Wang Lizhi decided to create his own studio. Coincidentally, a large publisher wanted to work with Wang Lizhi, to which Wang Lizhi agreed.
Of course, Wang Lizhi didn’t forget about Lu Shijin, who had always been silently sacrificing himself for him.
He never hid his relationship with Lu Shijin. To everyone else, he was a boyfriend who wasn’t in the industry. That way, it would be easier to control him and it made him the center of attention as well. This tried the two together, in honor and in disgrace.
But Wang Lizhi was scheming and didn’t put all his eggs in one basket. If Lu Shijin lost all inspiration someday, or decided to completely reject him, then he needed another path.
So Wang Lizhi began looking for people who could help him keep his current status, wealth, and reputation, while also potentially improving them.
This time, he had his eye on his boss, the young and promising president of the publishing company, Jun Jingyao.
“Really . . . the world is so large, you can meet all kinds of dogs who want no face. This kind of dumbass can be the protagonist? Did the person who wrote this also hire a ghostwriter?” Lu Shijin laughed from anger after seeing the story.
“Of course not! It’s just that the story needs to be satisfying. It doesn’t matter what happens behind the scenes. The audience just wants to see how someone counterattacks against fate and ends up big.”
“I find these audience’s standards very questionable.” Lu Shijin sneered, “Thankfully, they met me. Let me correct their three views.”
“Xiao Lu, do you have the files? Why are you so slow? It’s almost time to leave work, don’t make us go overtime with you!”
A sharp female voice pulled Lu Shijin back into reality. Lu Shijin slowly lifted his head and glanced at the woman speaking.
“What are you looking at me for? It’s your fault you haven’t done your work, don’t be unreasonable.” The woman rolled her eyes and sneered, “Don’t think that you can laze around in the company just because you have some relation with da*-Pen, our company doesn’t have waste.”
*Literally: ‘big’. Used as a sign of respect in this case.
The da-Pen the woman was referring to was Wang Lizhi. His pen name was “An Ordinary Pen,” so his fans often called him “da-Pen.”
Wang Lizhi had signed with Platinum Literature and his studio was given to them to organize. Lu Shijin was hired as a part-timer who did next to nothing because his most crucial role was being a ghostwriter.
And because no one else knew, they all thought Lu Shijin got in by abusing his relationship with Wang Lizhi. The workers thought how da-Pen had money, looks and talent, and didn’t forget about his lover even after making it big, letting a parasite leech off him.
A lot of women were fans of Wang Lizhi in the company and fought over Wang Lizhi. They would secretly and openly make things difficult for Lu Shijin, and making snide comments were more than common.
Lu Shijin didn’t like social interactions and wasn’t used to arguments, so he just pretended not to hear or understand anything.
But his concessions only made them angrier. Seeing how Lu Shijin wouldn’t respond to them, the women thought that he knew he was doing the wrong thing and didn’t dare argue back, so their words became worse and worse.
“Some people clearly have their hands and feet, but still won’t use them and stay as a parasite. If I were him, I would’ve long committed suicide out of shame! How could I have the face to see people, don’t you agree?”
“Right, they say people without face are invincible, but isn’t his face thicker than a concrete wall?”
“Who let him have a good boyfriend?”
“That’s enough, work has already ended, what are you standing here chatting for? Do you want to stay overtime?”
A man walked in and the women who were just insulting Lu Shijin immediately beamed and greeted him with eagerness.
“Da-Pen, you’re back. We were just preparing to leave and joking with Xiao Lu, we’re leaving right now.”
Wang Lizhi waved his hand and smiled, “Great, then you should leave. Go home or go to other meetings or dates, get on with your life.”
Seeing how Wang Lizhi didn’t seem to care about what they were saying, the women looked back at Lu Shijin and sneered gloatingly.
Lu Shijin met their gaze with a sneer of his own.
Wang Lizhi walked over to Lu Shijin and noticed his expression. He patted his shoulder and comforted, “Lu-ge, don’t be angry, they were just joking with you.”
“Joking with me? That would require me to find it amusing.” Lu Shijin looked at Wang Lizhi’s smiling face coldly, “Can you not tell the difference between jokes and actual bullying?”
Wang Lizhi’s expression froze, but he quickly recovered and implored Lu Shijin to not chase the issue, “Lu-ge, what happened? Why are you so angry? It’s okay, it’s okay, I’ll take you out for French food, okay? I heard that French people opened a restaurant downtown . . .”
“Wang Lizhi, are those women more important or your boyfriend?” Lu Shijin coldly interrupted, making Wang Lizhi pause, “What?”
“If you think that they’re more important, then I’ll leave.” Lu Shijin said casually, “If you think you can’t do without me, then you need to fire them, do you get what I mean?”
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