The Neglected Ning Qiu'er by Snow

The manuscript is a new novel.

"Did I interrupt your work?" Xia Yu asked.

"A little, but it's not a big deal. Just let me go to bed earlier since you played too late," Wen Ziyin replied.

Xia Yu was just being polite, as Wen Ziyin's bonus level was only LV2, and he couldn't quit halfway.

"Tell me when you're busy, and I'll avoid that time in the future," Xia Yu said while picking up the manuscript and reading from the beginning.

He had thought that Wen Ziyin was writing the story of the warden and the gangster, but it turned out to be a new novel.

"There are only half a month left until the submission deadline, so I have to start writing," Wen Ziyin explained further.

"Will there be enough time?" Xia Yu asked in surprise.

"No problem, I'm an inspiration-driven writer, so technically I can finish even with just a week left. However, by that time, I'll be locked in a hotel by the editor," Wen Ziyin's words carried a hint of fear.

Sensing this fear, Xia Yu understood that Wen Ziyin had experienced it before.

"Does every editor do this?" Xia Yu asked curiously.

"No, other publishing houses don't, but my publishing house has business dealings with Zone Eleven, so they've adopted this method. It's only used on us new authors, while the famous older authors can write whenever they feel like it," Wen Ziyin's words were filled with resentment.

Without commenting on this method, Xia Yu continued reading the novel in his hand.

The novel began with a young female writer falling in love with a tycoon, and the story progressed quickly. After two dates and four or five scenes, they entered the marriage hall.

There was nothing beyond that.

The earlier content clearly exhibited Wen Ziyin's style and had no issues.

As for the story, it was too short to tell anything.

"Do you want to experience something?" Xia Yu asked Wen Ziyin.

"I bought an accordion; it's in the next room," Wen Ziyin replied.

Picking up the accordion, Xia Yu first familiarized himself with its usage, then played it with one hand while pulling the bellows with the other.

After spending an ordinary three hours like this, Xia Yu went to bed.

When he woke up the next morning, he was back in his own body.

As usual, he glanced at the diary of his trustee, but saw no records. Nothing unusual would happen at night.

Taking out his phone, Xia Yu saw that the newly added Ning Qiu'er had sent him a message.

It was a photo of her and Liu Manman eating late-night snacks together sent the night before.

Below the photo was a message.

Manman asked me to send this to you; she wants to make you jealous.

Xia Yu looked at the table in the photo and saw two bowls of boiled vermicelli, which was not interesting. What caught Xia Yu's attention was the condiments on the vermicelli.

The bright red chili oil color, the placement of the kelp and peanuts, all looked appetizing.

These were two bowls of hot and sour noodles, which Xia Yu used to eat often. However, after he became rich, he stopped eating them.

Now he longed for that taste.

Glancing at the time on his phone, seeing it was only two in the morning, he had to abandon the idea of going to a restaurant for a bowl.

Lying back on the bed, Xia Yu touched his chin, pondering the meaning of Ning Qiuer sending him this photo.

If Liu Manman wanted to send it, it was obviously just an excuse. It was easy to refuse such a thing. Clearly, Ning Qiuer also had the intention of communicating with him.

He and Ning Qiuer weren't so familiar yet, nor did he think he had enough charm to attract this former song queen.

He thought back to when he met Ning Qiuer yesterday, and she had added the Penguin number after recognizing his video.

Was it because of the song?

From his phone's album, Xia Yu found a photo of a white jade dumpling and sent it back in response. Then he tossed the phone aside and continued to sleep.

At seven in the morning, he woke up from his sleep. Picking up his phone, Ning Qiuer sent an angry-face emoji.

In addition to Ning Qiuer, Liu Manman also sent a message.

Do you want to come to my place today? Qiuer's cooking is delicious! [photo]

Upon opening the photo, it was still the hot and sour noodles from yesterday, just from a different angle.

After some hesitation, Xia Yu agreed. If Liu Manman could call it delicious, it was proof that it was at least tasty.

Ning Qiuer was unlikely to have professionally studied cooking, so he was curious how her homemade food would differ from a chef's.

He then asked for another leave from the counselor. As a well-known musician, he had the capital not to go to school. Anyway, with his test-taking skills, he could easily pass exams.

Speaking of which, the outside world's impression of his piano and guzheng skills was still at LV5. If he revealed that he had just leveled up to LV6, Huada would probably offer him a professorship.

However, that would actually be more troublesome, so he decided against it.

After washing up and eating breakfast, Xia Yu told Yuxue about the matter and asked if she wanted to go.

The girl excitedly said she wanted to go too.

He called Yuxue's headteacher and asked for a leave for one period, and then together they took a car to Liu Manman's house.

At that time, Liu Manman and Ning Qiuer were sitting together, talking about Xia Yu.

Ning Qiuer looked at the Penguin chat interface on her phone, which had no response at all, and asked Liu Manman, "Your friend doesn't seem to care about me at all, does he?"

"Right? You felt it too!" Liu Manman finally found a kindred spirit, "I mentioned you to him before, and his reaction was as if I was talking about an ordinary person."

As Ning Qiuer was about to ask more, the doorbell rang.

The two went downstairs together, and the maid had already opened the door.

Ning Qiuer glanced at Xia Yu and shifted her gaze to Yuxue beside him.

Liu Manman briefly introduced Yuxue.

"Hello." Ning Qiuer smiled and greeted Yuxue, her expression kind, and her heart was equally kind.

Because she saw that in the eyes of the girl in front of her, there was a familiar light, the light of surprise.

As expected, only Xia Yu was unusual, his sister was normal.

Feeling happy, she happily agreed to Yuxue's request for a group photo without any hesitation and actively posed with her.

Standing side by side with heart gestures, one in front of the other stretching their hands to make rabbit ears…

After the photos were taken, Yuxue excitedly sat on the sofa, looking at the photos in the camera.

At first, Ning Qiuer was quite relieved, but as time passed, she felt that something was wrong.

How could this girl only care about looking at the pictures, while the real person was right beside her? The photos couldn't possibly be better than the real thing.

Her heart started to feel uneasy, and finally, she saw the girl stand up.

Thinking that Yuxue would come over and talk to her again, Ning Qiuer straightened up, but instead saw Yuxue heading towards the door: "Then I'll go back to school first, goodbye."

Ning Qiuer stared at Yuxue incredulously, watching her put away her camera, sling her backpack over her shoulder, say goodbye to Liu Manman, Xia Yu, and herself, and stride towards the door.

Opening the door, Yuxue stepped out without any hesitation, and the door closed behind her.

She was really impressive.

Ning Qiuer clenched her fists:

What's the point of going to school so many times a year? As for me, I'm a singing legend, a once-in-a-lifetime encounter! Shouldn't she skip class and come see me?!

This girl is really not normal!

She turned her gaze to Xia Yu, feeling that he still had her in his heart, and agreed to meet up with her right away.