Wenhao 1979, starting with contributing to Story Club

Chapter 2 caused a sensation in the editorial department.

Wu Ke quickly became engrossed in the wonderful stories, so much so that when the editor Bao, who was sitting across from her, greeted her to indicate that it was lunchtime, she didn't respond at all.

Bao Fang shook his head and smiled, thinking to himself that he was still too young. He had given him good advice, but he was still so engrossed in it.

He simply didn't believe it. How could an author submit 25 articles at once? What kind of high-quality manuscripts could they be? It was exactly as he judged: someone who had been "flying" between various domestic journals and magazines for years, frequently submitting articles, dreaming that one day his writings would be published and his "literature" would be known throughout the world.

Sigh!

Such frustrated and down-on-his-luck scholars.

Since the year before last, when the state called on the literary and artistic circles to break free from ideological shackles, liberate their minds, and make great strides in the field of spiritual civilization construction, countless similar eccentric creators have appeared both inside and outside the literary and artistic circles.

Submitting 25 articles at once!

What does that mean?

If all of them were selected by the publishing house, wouldn't each author be able to contribute content for two issues of "Story Club"?

"Ha, if something like that really happened, the entire company would be laughing in their sleep!"

"Old Bao, what are you muttering about? Who wants to wake up laughing from a dream?"

On the way to the cafeteria, another editor, Yan Yongxiang, overheard Bao Fang talking to himself and came over to tease him.

Bao Fang sighed and recounted the experiences of the new editor, Wu Ke.

Yan Yongxiang shook his head repeatedly upon hearing this, completely agreeing with Bao Fang's assessment.

Another senior editor, Wu Fuxin, listened to the two men's heartfelt conversation throughout. He then turned and headed back towards the editorial office. Bao Fang saw this and called out to him from behind, "Where are you going?" He replied that he was going to call Wu Ke for dinner.

"Hey, Old Wu is really taking a good look at the new guy, Comrade Wu."

"Of course, after all, you can't write two Wu characters in one stroke!"

"What, is Comrade Xiao Wu related to Old Wu...?"

"I didn't say that. Don't speculate. It's baseless. Don't forget we have an editor named Old Wu in our company!"

"Hey, you two, what are you talking about? It seems like you're saying something's wrong with our editor, surnamed Wu?"

"Uh, Editor-in-Chief Wu, it's nothing, it's nothing. We were just chatting, we really weren't saying anything bad about anyone."

"Yes, yes, Lao Bao meant well by wanting to mentor the new comrade, but our editor Xiao Wu doesn't seem to appreciate it. One author submitted 25 works at once, and Xiao Wu got so engrossed in reading them that he forgot to even eat lunch..."

The group chatted and laughed as they quickly arrived at the cafeteria.

After queuing up and getting our food, we found a table and sat down together.

"Strange, didn't Comrade Fuxin already go to call Xiao Wu to come for lunch? Why hasn't he come yet?"

"Oh yeah, what's going on? Could it be that Comrade Fuxin has also become obsessed with those 25 articles?"

"Uh, really?! 25 submissions at once? That's enough for a whole quarter of our bimonthly magazine, *Story Club*! What kind of genius author could be so incredible? I just can't believe it!"

The group ate and chatted in a relaxed and harmonious atmosphere.

Five or six minutes passed in the blink of an eye, and everyone's lunchboxes were almost empty.

But they still couldn't wait for the person they were waiting for.

Deputy Editor-in-Chief Wu Lun quickly ate the rest of his food, then got up and told Bao Fang and the other man, "Please get two meals and take them to the editorial office. I'll go check on things first."

Without waiting for Bao Fang and the other person to respond, he grabbed his aluminum lunchbox, hurriedly left the cafeteria, and rushed back to the editorial department.

Bao Fang and Yan Yongxiang exchanged a glance and remained silent. They quickly ate the rest of their food and went to the cafeteria's serving window to get two meals for each other. Then, they strode hurriedly towards the editorial department.

The two soon arrived at the door of the editorial office.

Lifting the thick cotton curtain, the first thing you see upon entering is a group of people huddled together in front of trainee editor Wu Ke's office. Deputy editor-in-chief Wu Lun is among them, as is veteran editor Wu Fuxin, who had turned back earlier. Several other colleagues are also squeezed together to the side.

They were all engrossed in reading manuscripts, completely unaware of Bao Fang and Yan Yongxiang's return.

The two exchanged a glance. Given the situation, it was clear that the manuscripts in the hands of the editors were far better than expected.

Otherwise, if the manuscript were of mediocre quality, it wouldn't have kept so many people working tirelessly.

Bao Fang's expression at this moment was the most interesting and complex.

If the manuscript were truly of exceptionally high quality, then his previous advice, based on experience and maturity, would have become a huge joke. It's fortunate that Editor Wu didn't heed his expert judgment and patiently reviewed the manuscript; otherwise…

The two didn't dare to make a sound and placed the lunchboxes they had brought back on the table next to them. They quietly approached and saw that there were several other manuscripts on Wu Ke's table that had been read. They each picked up one and quickly began to read.

"Wow, this author really has beautiful handwriting... 'The Warlords,' the title seems to have a story behind it... It's a story that took place during the late Qing Dynasty? Is it a historical theme...?"

The manuscript that Bao Fang picked up at random was a modified version of the text of the movie "The Warlords".

Yu Zhen's adapted version aims to achieve a thrilling, fast-paced story and a smooth, unobstructed reading experience. Therefore, the story opens with a scene reminiscent of the famous "Oath of the Peach Garden" between Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei from the Three Kingdoms period:

"By signing the oath of brotherhood, we pledge our loyalty; we entrust our lives to each other, and will help each other in times of good or bad fortune; we will share blessings and misfortunes, and support each other in times of trouble. If an outsider harms my brothers, I will see the oath of brotherhood and kill him; if a brother harms my brothers, I will see the oath of brotherhood and kill him."

In a short paragraph, a sense of江湖 (jianghu, the world of outlaws) and the ruthless spirit of warlords in chaotic times surges forth from the words.

Bao Fang is, after all, a veteran editor with many years of experience in the industry.

What kind of writing can be considered a good story? Even if there is no so-called unified standard, as the saying goes, an expert's work is immediately apparent. Just by glancing at the first paragraph, he felt a surge of emotion welling up inside him.

The other editor, Yan Yongxiang, was not much better off at this moment.

The manuscript he picked up at random was titled "Shaolin Temple," a story about chivalry and revenge, enlightenment in Zen Buddhism, and protecting one's homeland during the late Sui and early Tang dynasties—a complex and multifaceted tale of love, hate, and revenge in the martial arts world.

Without needing to ask further, Yan Yongxiang quickly became engrossed in the story.

For a considerable period afterward, the entire editorial department was in a state of high excitement. They quickly exchanged manuscripts with each other, and everyone eagerly flipped through one unimaginable new story after another.

Before I knew it, the whole afternoon had passed.