Chapter 11: Just Stick to Yourself and You’ll Feel Better

Yang Xichen felt Haitang’s gaze lingering on his face for a long time, and couldn’t help but secretly think, “Did I succeed in selling my misery?”

The little girl must be feeling very sorry for him now, he thought, and couldn’t help but turn his head to look sideways.

Then he met the little girl’s admiring gaze, and he immediately asked with a question mark on his face, “What’s with that expression?”

“It’s nothing, it’s just that looking at Brother Xichen’s face, I really want to paint. It’s really a great face!”

Haitang looked at Yang Xichen with bright eyes, and in addition to her admiring tone, she highly praised Yang Xichen’s appearance.

But it was this pure gaze, like appreciating a work of art, that stabbed Yang Xichen’s heart like a knife.

He immediately turned his head to look at the road ahead. Although he tried his best to restrain himself, the cold air on his body still radiated outwards.

Haitang keenly felt the low pressure in the car, mistakenly thinking that Yang Xichen didn’t like her praising him for being good-looking, and thought she was frivolous.

She said somewhat timidly, “Brother Xichen, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t talk nonsense, please don’t be angry, okay?”

The little girl’s soft and glutinous voice, with worry and fear, instantly dispelled the depression in Yang Xichen’s heart.

He sighed almost imperceptibly, stopped the car, turned his head to look at the little girl, and then reached out to rub her head.

But he suddenly realized that his action would only make Haitang continue to regard him as a reliable big brother.

So he just hesitated slightly, and then stroked her cheek.

His thumb gently rubbed her soft and smooth face, and said softly, “Silly girl, you praised me for being good-looking, how could that be talking nonsense.

I’m not angry, but it’s true that I feel uncomfortable, because my…” He was afraid of scaring her, so he didn’t say the three words “I like you” after all.

He paused before continuing, “Because my face, except for the eyebrows and eyes, is exactly the same as my queen’s.”

Haitang understood. Not long ago, Brother Xichen mentioned that he was forcibly sent abroad to study by his queen. His relationship with his mother should be very bad.

But how can there be children who don’t long for their parents’ love.

Right now, she really couldn’t help. Since she couldn’t help Brother Xichen, she could only give him a comforting rub.

So she raised her hand and covered his hand, and at the same time took the initiative to press her face against his palm, and then rubbed it like a kitten.

And she comforted him softly, “Brother Xichen, don’t be sad, a hug will make you feel better.”

Yang Xichen was uncontrollably aroused by her obedient and soft appearance, and subconsciously moved closer to her, but the seat belt restrained him and blocked him, making him sober up all of a sudden.

Fortunately, the little girl didn’t see through his thoughts. He said with a normal expression, “Tangtang’s hug is really useful, I feel completely better now.”

This was not a lie, he was indeed coaxed by the little girl’s actions and words.

Seeing that Yang Xichen’s mood had really improved, Haitang was relieved and let go of his hand.

After Yang Xichen retracted his hand, he gripped the steering wheel tightly, trying to transfer the soft touch that still remained on his hand.

Half an hour later, the car stopped outside Huaxin Publishing House. Yang Xichen said to Haitang, “You talk about business with your aunt, I won’t go up, I’ll wait for you in the car.”

Haitang nodded, pushed the car door open and got out of the car, and entered Huaxin Publishing House.

Someone enthusiastically gave her directions along the way, and she successfully found Editor Yang’s office.

She knocked on the open door. The female comrade working at the desk raised her head and said, “Please come in.”

This Editor Yang had no similarities with Yang Xichen in terms of facial features. Her temperament was extremely elegant, and there was a strong scholarly air between her eyebrows.

While Haitang was looking at the other party, she entered the office and introduced herself, “Hello Editor Yang, I’m Haitang.”

“Please sit down.” Yang Lihua pointed to the chair opposite, and put down the pen in her hand at the same time.

After Haitang pulled out the chair and sat down, she took out an envelope from the drawer and handed it to Haitang, “After discussion by our editorial department, the fee we set for you is twenty yuan per thousand words.

The manuscript you submitted is a little over 16,000 words, and there are a total of 320 yuan in this envelope, please open it and count it.”

Haitang followed her words, took out a stack of big unity notes from the envelope, and counted exactly thirty-two.

“Editor Yang, the number is correct.” After confirming that there was no problem with the fee, Haitang stuffed the money back into the envelope, and she also had some confidence in earning living expenses by writing.

Although she was a little famous before, she hadn’t written for three years after all, and it was very likely that she would be eliminated by the market.

Yang Lihua waited for Haitang to put the envelope containing the fee into her satchel before speaking, “Actually, I’m no stranger to your work.

I have read the children’s stories you have written since you were thirteen years old.

In fact, I wanted to meet you a long time ago, but you suddenly stopped submitting manuscripts to the publishing house, and I also sent you a letter, but the letter was returned because there was no such person.

I once regretted it, but I didn’t expect to receive your submission after three years, which was quite a surprise.”

Hearing Editor Yang’s explanation, Haitang said somewhat flattered, “I went back to my hometown with my mother three years ago, so I probably missed Editor Yang’s letter.”

Yang Lihua didn’t ask why she didn’t write in the past three years, but instead subtly changed the subject, and analyzed the huge demand in the current market for children’s books.

Then she sincerely praised, “The story you wrote is very spiritual, and I also know that inspiration is not something that can be said to have, so the quantity of manuscripts is not important, quality is the first.”

Haitang was very happy that the story she wrote was recognized, and quickly expressed her position, “Editor Yang, don’t worry, I know the importance of the quality of an article, and I will carefully study the story without affecting my studies.”

Yang Lihua was not worried about the quality of the article, after all, this little girl had experience, and the editorial department would not adopt it if the quality was not good.

This was a good seedling, and Yang Lihua wanted to cultivate it well. Thinking of her age, she asked, “You should still be in high school, right? You should be in the second year of high school after the start of school. I don’t know what ideas you have for your future university major?”

“My mother hopes that I will take the Chinese Department of Beidu University. She is also a teacher herself, and she has analyzed it with me, saying that I am very talented in writing.

And I myself also like writing very much, so I will receive more professional advanced studies in college.” Haitang said truthfully.

Seeing that Haitang had a clear goal for her future, Yang Lihua nodded with relief.

Then she took out a business card and handed it to Haitang, “This has my home contact information and home address on it. If you have anything, you can’t find me at the publishing house, you can call my home, or come to my home to find me.”

Haitang quickly and carefully took the business card and carefully put it in the inner pocket of her satchel.

Yang Lihua saw all this in her eyes, the smile on her face deepened a little, and then she picked up a stack of books and periodicals next to her and handed them to Haitang, “These are the past books and periodicals of our publishing house, you can take them back and read them.”

Haitang did not refuse, took the thick stack of books and periodicals, and took the opportunity to get up to say goodbye.