Chapter 49: Igniting the Powder Keg

At this moment, the living room was enveloped in a peculiar atmosphere.

Li Heng looked at her leisurely and with effortless poise, examining and sizing her up.

His gaze felt almost tangible as it landed on her, seeming to mock her shamelessness.

Truth be told, he would have preferred to be magnanimous and let bygones be bygones.

However, in his past life, this obnoxious woman had always loved to belittle him in front of Chen Zijin, her family, and their friends with the same old remark: "Our Zijin has been pretty and exceptional since she was a child. If she wanted to, she could have her pick of high-ranking officials' offspring, PhDs, and overseas students. I just don't see what's so great about you—why did she ever choose you?"

Just listen to that. Was that something a human being would say?

Once or twice he could have let slide, gritting his teeth for Chen Zijin's sake to endure it. But after hearing it so many times, which man on earth could possibly let it go and not hold a grudge?

In all her twenty-eight years of life, Chen Xiaomi had never experienced such sarcasm.

Choked with sudden anger, she almost coughed up blood.

Rack her brains as she might, she simply could not understand why Li Heng had changed so drastically in just over half a year since the end of last summer vacation.

The Li Heng of the past had been as docile as a lamb in front of her, practically never striking back when hit or talking back when scolded.

He hadn't even dared to raise his head to look her in the eye for long.

Yet now, Li Heng's words were so razor-sharp that she found herself completely incapable of talking her way out of it.

The tables had turned, and bound by her own disadvantageous position, she had somehow become the lamb waiting for the slaughter.

A thought had even crossed her mind just a moment ago: If Li Heng had displayed such heaven-defying literary talent last summer, would she have tried to stop him?

The answer...?

She didn't dare to answer, nor did she dare to delve deeper in that direction.

She discovered that human nature was something even she herself could not fully grasp!

Unable to bear his uninhibited gaze any longer, Chen Xiaomi took a deep breath, straightened her head, and decided to try breaking the awkwardness through conversation.

She asked a question she was dying to know and extremely curious about: "You're only a little over seventeen years old—how on earth did you manage to write this novel?"

Hearing this, Li Heng gave a calm, counter-questioning smile: "Ms. Chen, are you questioning me? Do you think that someone like me from the countryside could not write such a work?"

Chen Xiaomi pursed her lips and remained silent, as she indeed harbored doubts.

Or rather, it wasn't just her; if Li Heng's age were made public to the world, she was certain everyone would be just as puzzled as her, eagerly searching for the truth.

Li Heng, however, was not so easy to deal with and retorted sharply: "That's right. By the standards of ancient aristocratic clans, the Chen family could also be considered a prominent household.

Add to that the fact that Ms. Chen is a high achiever from Renmin University with her nose permanently stuck in the air, I suppose you must have long forgotten the ancient adage: 'A humble family can produce a noble son, and a thatched hut can birth a prime minister.'"

Having reached this point, he paused for breath and continued his merciless critique: "Yet, for an intellectual like yourself, how could you ask such a foolish question?"

Upon hearing the word "foolish," Chen Xiaomi's anger flared up all over again, her chest heaving up and down in violent undulations.

However, Li Heng was not about to give her a chance to talk back, pressing his attack with ringing momentum:

"Wang Bo wrote the immortal masterpiece *Preface to the Pavilion of Prince Teng* at the age of twenty-six—why didn't you go and question that?

Huo Qubing dominated the military forces, performed the grand sacrifices at Mount Langju, and was conferred the title of Champion Marquis as an unbeatable youth of twenty-fief; should you perhaps dig up his remains and put him on trial as well?

In my view, age does not represent everything.

Don't assume that growing older means everything else grows with it. If you don't believe me, just listen—Old Sun by the school gate is well past sixty, illiterate, an absolute fool, and only knows how to curse people in the streets."

Chen Xiaomi was fuming to the point of dizziness. How could she not realize that Li Heng was hurling veiled insults at her, exacting revenge for the previous summer by calling her a fool and saying she only grew older without gaining any wisdom?

Her right hand involuntarily grabbed her bag, tempting her to stand up and walk right out, unwilling to suffer this humiliation on account of *To Live*.

Yet another voice in her mind advised her: Endure it! Endure it! Endure it a little longer! Get through this current crisis first.

Just as Chen Xiaomi was locked in fierce internal debate, a commotion suddenly sounded from outside the door.

Followed by a knock and a shout: "Li Heng, open the door."

It was the English teacher's voice.

Without overthinking it, Li Heng got up and opened the door.

There were two people standing outside. One was Wang Runwen.

The other was a man of about thirty-five or thirty-six, wearing a middle-part hairstyle, neatly dressed, and looking very proper.

As soon as they met, Wang Runwen made the introductions:

"Li Heng, this is Zou Ping, an editor from *Harvest* magazine."

"And this is Twelve-Month."

Before coming here, Zou Ping had never imagined that the author of *To Live* would be so young, let alone a high school student. He was utterly shocked.

Chen Xiaomi had been hesitating whether to leave just moments ago, but the moment she saw her competitor, all extraneous thoughts vanished completely.

Her fighting spirit ignited anew.

Even if Li Heng held a grudge against her, he certainly wouldn't go against money. She still had a chance.

"Hello, Editor Zou. I was just discussing publication matters with Editor Chen from *People's Literature*, so I had my teacher go pick you up. Please don't take offense."

As soon as he spoke, Li Heng cast all gentlemanly demeanor aside and directly took control of the rhythm, his goal being to make the two parties clash.

After all, when the snipe and the clam grapple, the fisherman profits.

Fearing that his competitors might reach some tacit agreement just to save money, he decisively planted a powder keg, leaving them no such opportunity.

Sure enough, Zou Ping stared blankly at Li Heng, then glanced at Chen Xiaomi sitting on the sofa, a sudden sense of urgency rising in his heart.

He even guessed inwardly: Had Li Heng and *People's Literature* already reached an agreement? Did he still have a chance?

Before coming, *To Live* had shocked the elderly writer Ba Jin, who was deeply preoccupied with the subsequent story and had entrusted him to secure it at all costs.

After exchanging pleasantries and taking their seats, once the English teacher had poured fresh cups of hot tea for the two guests, Li Heng addressed Chen Xiaomi and Zou Ping:

"I'm a senior in high school about to take the college entrance examination. My time is limited, so I won't beat around the bush with you two. Shall we discuss the manuscript fee first, or would the two of you like to read the subsequent chapters first?"

Zou Ping was once again left speechless. To be able to write such an awesome piece of work while still being a student, and still worrying about afternoon classes—

Was this meant to drive people to despair?

Not wanting his trip to be in vain and wishing to have a baseline in mind, Zou Ping spoke up first: "If possible, I'd like to read the manuscript first."

"Certainly, of course no problem."

Displaying total generosity, Li Heng retrieved all the manuscripts from his school bag—several stacks of paper—and deliberately placed the first stack of the subsequent story right in front of Chen Xiaomi for her to read first.

It wasn't that he was favoring Chen Xiaomi; he did this to stimulate Zou Ping, hoping to make him nervous and lead him to directly quote a high price to outbid Chen Xiaomi later.

Chen Xiaomi glanced at Li Heng, seemingly seeing right through his little scheme, but she didn't expose him. Instead, she turned to the first page of the manuscript and began to read intently:

"I was hopelessly incorrigible from childhood—that was what my father said. The private school tutor said I was rotten wood carved to no avail. Now when I think about it, they were both right. Back then I didn't think so; I thought to myself, I have money, I am the only remaining incense of the Xu family, and if I were snuffed out, the Xu family line would be cut off..."

The gripping plot quickly captivated Chen Xiaomi completely, causing her to put aside her grievances against Li Heng for the time being.

As the suffering and tragedy within the book unfolded, various expressions of worry and anxiety inadvertently flickered across her face...

Seeing his rival completely engrossed in the book and unable to extricate herself, Zou Ping grew impatient on the sidelines. Yet with no way to get his hands on the manuscript immediately, he had no choice but to wait.

At the same time, he pondered inwardly: Seeing how fast his competitor became immersed, the rest of *To Live* must undoubtedly be brilliant. Having arrived late today and fallen behind, how should he pull off a comeback later?

PS: Seeking monthly tickets! Seeking readership!