Chapter 3: 2010, The Golden Age of Writing Novels

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In July 2010, Chen Yuchen had just finished the grueling college entrance exams and collapsed onto his bed, his thoughts a swirl of mixed emotions. He clutched the 200 yuan his mother had just given him and sighed softly, "I never thought I'd have another chance to be supported by my mother in this lifetime."

As he stared at the money in his hands, his mind wandered back to his childhood. Chen Yuchen had grown up with his mother after his parents divorced, and she had shouldered all the household responsibilities alone. Despite their modest life, he had never lacked the essentials. His mother worked as an accountant in a government office, with a steady income and full social security benefits. Every year, the family had enough food and supplies, even during the holidays.

However, this stability came with constant financial pressure. His mother had started investing in real estate when he was very young, scrimping and saving, even borrowing money from relatives and friends to buy several houses. Back then, housing prices in their small town were still low, and she managed to acquire five properties through loans. Eventually, when the houses were demolished and compensation paid, their family's fortunes improved.

His mother had once said to him, "These houses will be yours one day. Keep them for when you get married, don't sell them." Thinking back on her foresight and resilience, Chen Yuchen couldn't help but feel a deep admiration for her.

Yet, in his previous life, during university, he hadn't appreciated this advantage. In his first year, he had earned some money by writing web novels, and his mother suggested selling one of their properties in their hometown to buy an apartment in Jinning City. But, brash and impulsive, Chen Yuchen had scoffed at the idea, thinking that as long as he had a place to live, it was enough. Instead, he spent most of his savings on a second-hand Audi, which ended up draining all his funds due to constant repair costs. By the time he realized the importance of buying property, housing prices had already skyrocketed, and he could only afford a small apartment using the compensation from their demolished house.

Sighing deeply, Chen Yuchen reflected on his youthful ignorance in his past life. Now that he had been reborn, he vowed not to make the same mistakes. He sat in his bedroom, cleaned up the mess from his earlier sickness, and picked up a pen, carefully writing down his first life goal—buy a house.

However, reality quickly sobered him. The 200 yuan from his mother was far from enough to buy real estate. He furrowed his brow, considering how he could leverage his advantages to make some money. Buying lottery tickets? That wasn't realistic—he didn't know the winning numbers. Stock trading? He had dabbled in it during his past life, but without capital, quick profits were out of reach.

He stood up and walked to the window, staring blankly outside. If he couldn't perform miracles and completely change his fate, he could at least live better than he had before.

Suddenly, an idea struck him—writing novels! In his previous life, he had started making money by writing web fiction. Although it hadn't made him rich, it had been a decent income stream. Now, it was 2010, the golden age of online literature. Surely, this was a prime opportunity to make some money.

A smile spread across Chen Yuchen's face as confidence returned. In his previous life, he hadn't started writing until the first year of university. Now, he was half a year ahead of schedule. After 2012, the web novel market became more regulated, but 2010 was a time when creative freedom reigned, and anything could be written. He was determined to seize this golden period and once again rely on writing to earn a living.

A rough outline of a story began to form in his mind: a time-travel novel set during the Three Kingdoms period. The protagonist would be transported back to that era, rise to power as a warlord, and gather famous generals to conquer the land. Historical figures would pledge allegiance to him, and battles filled with strategy and intrigue would unfold, each more thrilling than the last.

As for the romance aspect, he had already made plans. From his previous experience, he knew that readers loved seeing the protagonist not only succeed on the battlefield but also win the hearts of beautiful women. Hence, famous historical figures like Diao Chan, the Qiao sisters, and Zhen Mi would all become the protagonist's romantic interests.

"There's no need to submit this to a big website," Chen Yuchen mused. "Smaller platforms are better suited for me. Ten thousand words on the shelf, and the royalties will start rolling in." He could already imagine the steady flow of income.

Without hesitation, he got to work. Opening his laptop, his fingers flew across the keyboard. "Three Kingdoms, time travel, protagonist rises to power!" These key ideas swirled in his mind, constructing a grand heroic tale. As his thoughts became clearer, his writing pace quickened.

"This time, I won't miss any opportunities," Chen Yuchen whispered to himself.

And so, Chen Yuchen's journey as a web novelist began once more, in the sweltering summer of 2010.