Chapter 41: Really Worthy of the Literature Club

Some doors, once opened, really can’t be closed just by saying they’re closed.

Su Nai lay on the table in despair. Her flushed cheeks pressed against the cool desktop, but they couldn’t cool her pounding heart.

She felt she was broken, broken since she developed an inappropriate curiosity. She started lingering, started marveling at how wonderful the world was, and even learned a few phrases in foreign languages to express refusal.

She, without a doubt, had become a bad girl.

Jiang Qin coughed and casually changed the subject. “There’s one more thing, Su Nai. Can you make me an auto-reply program?”

“Auto-reply?” Su Nai raised her head slightly.

“It’s to arrange some virtual ID robots to reply under each post with some all-purpose flattery like ‘Wow, so well-written, I’m drooling’ or ‘Truly awesome, such literary talent’, to give the poster a sense of accomplishment.”

Su Nai pushed her glasses. “I can copy an existing one online and modify the code to see if it can be used directly.”

Jiang Qin knew it was promising when he heard that, but still said sternly, “Work first, watch fewer videos.”

“Ugh…”

Su Nai collapsed on the table again, sadness flowing like a river.

Jiang Qin stopped teasing her. He said he’d concrete his heart so even dogs wouldn’t love him, but if he accidentally provoked her anger, it wouldn’t end well.

“Underclassman, I’m leaving first.”

“Thank you senior, hurry up and go…”

Jiang Qin pursed his lips. The little girl had seen all eighteen positions, what was there to be shy about? He put his library card in his pocket, turned around and left the library.

The website was built, but currently still an empty shell, like a newly issued essay paper with neat squares but no content.

To make a website retain users, sufficient browsing information was a must.

Jiang Qin decided to check out Linchuan University’s Literature Club and find them to write some self-made stories.

The Literature Club was a club under the School of Literature, and the entire School of Literature was now on the East Campus. Jiang Qin didn’t have a car and could only walk all the way. Fortunately it was the start of term and every club was preparing for recruitment activities, so Jiang Qin didn’t miss them. As soon as he entered, he saw a group of people making promotion boards.

“Make the words ‘Club Recruitment’ bold, better change to red for eye-catching.”

“Hey hey hey, you there, how come you’re just sitting idle and not working? Can’t you see everyone’s busy?”

Jiang Qin clasped his hands behind his back and randomly directed in the activity room. A slacking sophomore glanced at him, unsure of his role, and could only silently put away his phone and start working.

Finally someone couldn’t stand it and asked who he was, if he was a new teaching assistant in the School of Literature. So young.

Jiang Qin revealed a coquettish smile and said he was just an ordinary freshman. This elicited an affectionate greeting with an extremely high motherly content.

However, after expressing his purpose, someone still called for the person in charge of the Literature Club.

One was Club President Yao Yanling, a junior majoring in Chinese Language and Literature.

The other was Vice President Dong Wenhao, a sophomore majoring in Broadcasting and Hosting.

“Life stories, five yuan per thousand words, can I write any content?”

Jiang Qin pondered for a moment. “I need first-person narrative stories, they can be bizarre but not ridiculous.”

Dong Wenhao was more interested in this matter. “You mean pseudo-factual literature of the made-up type?”

“Senior’s summing up ability is quite strong, that’s roughly the idea. For example, how I, with three girlfriends, began efficiently managing my time; secrets I’d rather have a stomachache for life than tell; what it’s like to have a campus belle girlfriend; that guy from Financial Class 3 is really handsome. Just some relatively controversial topics.”

“A bit like the promotional monthly of a men’s hospital? Like unexpectedly pregnant wife after three years of separation?”

Jiang Qin was a little surprised. “I didn’t expect President Dong to have read such literary masterpieces. I really found the right person!”

Yao Yanling couldn’t help interjecting. “Are you making a journal?”

“No, I’m making a website.”

“Can your website serialize original novels?”

Hearing Yao Yanling’s question, Jiang Qin couldn’t help but be stunned.

Novel serialization was a direction he had never considered, but if he wanted the website to retain enough users, updating chapters might also be a good way.

But there was a problem with serializing novels. If the word count was high, it would definitely increase the manuscript fee cost, and if it was not well-written, really no one would read it.

“Novel serialization is also possible, but it has to pass my review first. I won’t pay for things with no value.”

Yao Yanling smiled confidently. “Actually I have an original novel myself. The writing is definitely excellent, but I’m not satisfied with the price of five yuan per thousand words. It should be at least ten yuan per thousand words and above.”

Jiang Qin shook his head. “I don’t want writing skill, I want readability.”

“A story with good writing is definitely readable. If you agree to ten yuan per thousand words, I can organize a part and send it to you to take a look.”

“What about the cooperation matter?”

Dong Wenhao leaned slightly forward. “Let me be responsible for the cooperation. Our Literature Club has sixty-seven registered members. The supply quantity will definitely satisfy you, but I have a requirement.”

Jiang Qin leaned slightly back in his chair. “Let’s hear it.”

“Manuscript fee of six yuan per thousand words. This way I’ll organize the writers and help you control the quality, while Senior Yanling will mainly be responsible for serialization matters. How about it?”

After hearing this, Jiang Qin took an extra look at Dong Wenhao, feeling that this guy’s vision was a bit sharper than Yao Yanling’s.

Although serializing a long novel could earn more royalties through length, getting sixty-seven people to make money together was far more than what two hands could earn. Dong Wenhao immediately took the supply matter into his own hands, definitely smelling the scent of profit.

It seemed that among so many people at Linchuan University, he wasn’t the only one trying to figure out ways to make money.

In contrast, Yao Yanling was actually more obsessed with literature and not very interested in money. The reason she wanted ten yuan was actually to get affirmation for her work.

Look, my writing can sell for ten yuan, while yours can only sell for five yuan.

Such a person, if they really had talent, would definitely achieve something, but I’m afraid their ambition exceeds their fate, trapped in their own world and unable to get out.

“Six yuan per thousand words is fine, but let’s still calculate the manuscript fee as five yuan.” Jiang Qin started talking to himself.

A hint of confusion flashed in Dong Wenhao’s eyes. “Since it’s six yuan per thousand words, why is the manuscript fee still five yuan?”

Jiang Qin grinned. “Can’t let Senior help for nothing. The other one yuan will be your commission. Please strictly control the manuscript quality, Senior.”

“…”

Dong Wenhao’s breath hitched and his crossed legs involuntarily came down.

His original intention for six yuan was to take a one yuan cut from each manuscript, but he didn’t expect Jiang Qin to expose it in one sentence. What should have been a private matter was now out in the open. He could take this money openly and aboveboard, but quality control had changed from empty words to a real work task.

To put it simply, he went from being an intermediary to a worker in an instant.

“I’m the vice president. Fighting for the members’ interests is what I should do. I shouldn’t take a commission, it’s not good.”

Jiang Qin glanced at Yao Yanling beside him. “There’s no such thing as working for free in this world. What does Senior Yanling think?”

Yao Yanling felt Jiang Qin’s allocation method was quite reasonable. “Wenhao, since you want to review content for the members, taking a little commission is deserved.”

“Then…then I won’t stand on ceremony.” Dong Wenhao agreed with difficulty.

Hearing this, Jiang Qin directly clicked his tongue. Won’t stand on ceremony, so fucking cultured. Really worthy of the damn Literature Club. Even asking for money could be so fresh and refined.