Chapter 113 The Count of Monte Cristo

Chapter 113 The Count of Monte Cristo

There are different opinions on the reason why Wang Zixu and Zhang Qian broke up. The official explanation was that the two had "incompatible personalities." In fact, the two could never agree on the more specific reasons, so they each insisted on their own opinions.

Zhang Qian’s statement is that Wang Zixu “does not seek advancement” and is obsessed with novel creation, neglecting life, social interaction and Zhang Qian. This made Zhang Qian very anxious. She saw that her limited future would be infinitely dragged down by Wang Zixu, not to mention that she had already discovered that she had a better choice.

Wang Zixu did not agree with her view. But he was tight-lipped about why he didn't try his best to save the relationship. In the end, the two only reached a consensus on the point of "incompatible personalities", and this became the final reason for the breakup that was made public.

In fact, what Wang Zixu never said was that the reason that really led to their breakup and made him disappointed in Zhang Qian was her narrow-mindedness and shallowness.

Zhang Qian is incredibly narrow-minded and shallow.

As a civil servant who graduated from a university and worked in the Propaganda Department, she didn’t know that the three people who became sworn friends in Taoyuan were Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei. She didn’t know that Shakespeare was a person’s name, she didn’t know that Copenhagen was a place name, she didn’t know that the moon’s light comes from reflected sunlight, and she didn’t know that two iron balls with different weights would fall to the ground at the same time if they were let go at the same time.

When Wang Zixu discovered that she was so shallow, he was very surprised - although Zhang Qian's school was not very famous, it still graduated with a bachelor's degree. How could she not even know this kind of knowledge?

As he got to know her better, he realized that Zhang Qian was knowledgeable. But her knowledge is only limited to the part of the knowledge that has been instilled, and she will never take the initiative to explore knowledge outside the boundaries. She has knowledge but no culture.

In fact, it doesn’t matter if you are uneducated. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know this knowledge. What Wang Zixu couldn't bear was her lack of curiosity. She has a profound lack of curiosity.

Whenever Wang Zixu wanted to talk about Liu, Guan, and Zhang’s thousand-year romance, she would change the topic with a bored look on her face and start talking about bags and perfume brands. She does not think that the three people who died two thousand years ago have any impact on her life, nor does she think that not knowing these three people is something to be ashamed of.

After learning about the final outcome of the three brothers Liu, Guan, and Zhang, she even scorned the three of them and didn’t understand why Wang Zixu had to sell this failed story to her. In her world, the only shame is lack of money and failure.

In addition, she has no interest in Wang Zixu’s hobbies. In other words, she hated Wang Zixu for all his hobbies that had nothing to do with her. When Wang Zixu was writing at his desk, she would endlessly distract him with irrelevant things. She did not allow Wang Zixu to enter her inner world that did not exist.

She has no sense of humor and won’t be happy with words. The only thing that can make her laugh is taking advantage of others or having someone else suffer some misfortune. Her language is surprisingly boring, and she tries to put a price tag on everything, even someone else's newborn baby, trying to calculate how much money he will earn in the future.

Before Wang Zixu realized how narrow-minded she was, her appearance was flawless. Even in the harshest environment, she will dress herself up and shine. Only by truly living with her can you know her true face.

What really made Wang Zixu completely break up with her was a small talk. Wang Zixu suddenly mentioned that there is a profession of "gunman" in this world. Big-name writers can make a lot of money by recruiting a group of people to ghostwrite, open a studio, and let others write novels for them.

That was the first time Zhang Qian’s eyes sparkled when the topic of writing was discussed.

"Why don't you do it like this?" Zhang Qian said, "This is a good idea. Isn't this more profitable than writing and submitting articles by yourself?"

When Wang Zixu heard what she said, he was shocked: "Don't you think it is immoral?"

Zhang Qian said: "Where is the immorality?"

"Written words should belong to the person himself. Isn't it an insult to literature to find a ghostwriter? You are also a civil servant after all, how can you respect it? This kind of unfair business? "

Zhang Qian's face darkened: "It's not a serious business if you write and submit articles! Opening a company to make money by writing novels in batches is a serious business!"

Wang Zixu felt that he was talking to someone from another world. The two argued tit for tat for a long time before he understood her point of view.

The reason why Zhang Qian believes that finding a gunman to open a studio can be considered a serious business is because this is in line with the most basic operating logic of capital - division of labor, organization, and orderly expansion.

This is undoubtedly the most reliable way to make money easily through writing, so this is a serious business. At the very least, it can purchase five insurances and one housing fund in unit form.

On the contrary, making money by writing and submitting articles is not only time-consuming and labor-intensive, but the returns are unstable, and there are no five insurances and one housing fund.

If according to what Wang Zixu said, every time you write, you are "emptying out your soul" - there is not much left to drain out of the human soul, and it will be gone - it is not sustainable.

Such high investment and low output are not sustainable, so the idea of ​​"making money through writing" is the most ridiculous delusion in the world. This is not the most unethical business, so what else is?

Wang Zixu was rendered speechless by Zhang Qian. Because even if he was reluctant, he had to agree: part of Zhang Qian's words was right.

Because there was a person in history who made a lot of money by finding a gun and hiring a ghostwriter to open a studio, and he also won a reputation both before and after him.

This person is Alexandre Dumas.

The way Alexandre Dumas made money was by hiring ghostwriters and publishing novels in his own name. There are thousands of novels to his name, most of which were ghostwritten. Therefore, he is known as the "director of the novel factory".

During his lifetime, he called himself the "Count of Monte Cristo" and spent huge sums of money to build himself a "Castle of Monte Cristo", which was full of guests every day; he had numerous mistresses, who gave him countless illegitimate children, and Dumas was one of them; in 2002, his bones were moved and buried in the French Panthéon. This is a treatment that only celebrities who have made noble contributions to French history can have.

As a male, he has fame, status, power, women, glory... He has everything that makes other males envious.

But Wang Zixu believes that what really makes Alexandre Dumas shine forever in history are only the few works he wrote himself, and definitely not the "products" produced by other ghostwriters.

Wang Zixu was only in his twenties at the time. Unlike now, he was somewhat arrogant. The fundamental reason for his disdain for the studio was that he thought he would shine sooner or later.

He believes that in this world, there are some stories that only he can tell, and there are some special comforts deep in the soul that only he can provide. How can a ghostwriter replace him?

What’s more, from the reader’s perspective, ghostwriting is a hateful fraud. Before he became an author, he was a devoted and passionate reader. He looked down upon anyone who hired a ghostwriter, including Alexandre Dumas.

But Zhang Qian just doesn’t think so. The world can survive without Wang Zixu's works, but without money, Wang Zixu is nothing. She doesn’t think ghostwriting is a big sin.

The way she looks at literature is no different from how she looks at a piece of clothing or a bag - ghostwriting is nothing more than OEM, as long as you don't sell fakes to me.

This is the core difference between the two people. So the two eventually parted ways.

After parting ways, the two each realized what they had originally insisted on - Zhang Qian was obsessed with money, so she became rich; Wang Zixu believed that some things cannot be changed, so he remained poor.

But just after the breakup, Wang Zixu regained air like a person who had been drowned for a long time, and he felt at ease for a while. During this period, Zhang Qian came to see him several times, but once he regained his freedom, he no longer missed the days of being kidnapped, so he did not treat Zhang Qian with pretense.

This is bad.

Many years later, Wang Zixu has been polished by society, and his character has become a lot more mellow.

He often thinks back to those years. He felt that there were many things he could have handled better back then. For example, breaking up with Zhang Qian.

He didn’t think that they shouldn’t have broken up, but he was the one who proposed the breakup first, and he didn’t think of a way out, and he underestimated how destructive a jealous woman could be.

Although the final statement was that they broke up peacefully, in fact, it was no different from him dumping Zhang Qian - Zhang Qian gave him a chance to save her, but he didn't try to save her. This was because he didn't want Zhang Qian's face. So Zhang Qian was furious and kept this grudge in her heart.

Later, Zhang Qian emphasized her superior conditions on various occasions; she asked her new boyfriend to arrange a confession scene that was so romantic that it shocked all the people of Xihe, and humiliated Wang Zixu with 999 roses and a luxury car... all of this was actually revenge for the shame she felt at the beginning.

Wang Zixu would try to explain to others at the beginning that Zhang Qian was not the one who dumped him, and the two just broke up peacefully. And once his words reached Zhang Qian's ears, she would retaliate against him even more severely, making him miserable.

Later, Wang Zixu learned to be smart, and he learned to keep silent. In his acquiescence, everyone gradually felt that Zhang Qian had dumped him. He also remained silent on the public's misunderstanding.

Under his resigned compromise, Zhang Qian finally calmed down. Except for kicking out his manuscript last time. Of course, she insisted that she was doing the prince a favor.

All in all, Zhang Qian is someone that Wang Zixu cannot afford to offend but can afford to hide from. Just like now in the lobby of the Plaza Hotel, Wang Zixu looks at Zhang Qian and can only show an awkward but polite gentle smile, not daring to offend her in the slightest.

“Are you talking?” Zhang Qian said, crossing her arms.

Wang Zixu stretched out his hands and said: "Sorry, I have something to do."

Zhang Qian said: "You came to Ningchun Banquet, right?"

Wang Zixu said: "No. I have business."

Zhang Qian asked: "Aren't you looking for Ning Chunyan for business?"

Wang Zixu said: "I have more serious business now."

The lady at the front desk put down the phone: "Professor Zhong said it is okay."

Prince Wang Zixu said: "Which room is he in?"

The front desk said: "Room 608."

Wang Zixu said: "Thank you."

Zhang Qian called "Wait a minute" from behind, but Wang Zixu ignored her and ran away.

My best friend said quietly from the side: "This ex-boyfriend, well, he has quite a personality."

Zhang Qian was irritated and ignored her, venting all her anger on the front desk:

"Who asked you to tell him the room number? This person doesn't have an invitation letter, how can you just let people in?"

The front desk said innocently: "But Professor Zhong did say that he was a guest. . ”

“Professor Zhong?”

“Professor Zhong Junmin from Nanjing University?” Based on her understanding, Wang Zixu should have no contact with Nanda at all.

She turned around and asked her best friend: "How did Wang Zixu know Professor Zhong? Do you have any clues?"

Her best friend circled her temples with her fingers: "I I’m not familiar with Professor Zhong, how do I know?”

“But you are from the Department of Education!”

My best friend is cheating. She rolled her eyes: "You think the Education Department is a bit too omnipotent. There are so many universities in the East China Sea. Do I know all the professors at the school? Besides, with the standards of Nanjing University, they don't need to pay attention to me." After saying that, she added: "Don't be surprised. You are making progress and your ex-boyfriend is making progress too. It will matter who you hook up with."

Zhang Qian frowned: "The conditions in his family can't be related, okay."

She knew the situation in Wang Zixu's family thoroughly. The three generations of Lao Wang's family were poor. From Wang Zixu's generation upwards, all the way to the ancestral graves, no big shot could be found.

As long as he has some conditions, how can he be so silent for so many years? If you live to be 30 and have done nothing, it won't suddenly matter. This doesn't make sense.

As soon as Wang Zixu ran upstairs from one end, at the elevator entrance at the other end, Li Tingfang, who was wearing Hanfu, came out with Director Guo Jingzong of the Propaganda Department, chatting as they walked:

"...Then we need to pay attention to the guests. Have they all checked in?"

Minister Guo said: "There are only a few who did not check in due to special circumstances, such as Chen Qingluo. She said she had a room in Xihe and was unwilling to stay in a hotel, so we did not ask her to check in. We only informed her of the time." A commissioner kept an eye on her and asked her to attend the meeting on time. "

Guo Jingzong said: "I will arrange it later." Li Tingfang smiled and said: "These literati are cute sometimes, but sometimes they are hateful. It can be said that they are used to being unorganized and undisciplined. Each one has more personality than the other."

Guo Jingzong said that you are the most unique person. Who would put up such a "murder and arson" banner in the square? But he still said:

"Now that I know Teacher Li, we will properly coordinate this award ceremony."

The two walked out of the hall, and Guo Jingzong saw it. Zhang Qian waved and said: "Xiao Zhang, are you busy? I have something to arrange."

Zhang Qian calmed down the expression on her face, trotted over and said: "Please tell me."

"The "Xihe Literature and Art·Special Issue" that has entered the first three rounds of this literary conference has been printed, and part of it will be delivered to the hotel soon. Please make arrangements and let a dedicated person be responsible for delivering the special issue to the guest teachers we invited, point-to-point delivery. "

Zhang Qian nodded respectfully: "Okay."

The top ten manuscripts in the third round are eligible to be published in the annual special issue of "Xihe Literature and Art". For every literary conference, such a special issue will be compiled.

Usually the sales volume of this special issue will be quite high. Not only each unit will have a copy, but guests who come to the conference will also be given a copy. Many of them will be given to the public or tourists for free, just to let more people feel the talents of the proud men and women of this cultural conference.

When arranging work, Zhang Qian’s best friend deliberately stayed far away to avoid suspicion. The leader walked in front, and the special issue was delivered to the front desk of the hotel. My best friend also came up and took a copy and said:

"This is the top ten of this palindrome? It's quite thick."

Zhang Qian counted the articles and said, "Yes, all of them are pretty good. An article can contain tens of thousands of words. If ten of them add up to one hundred thousand words, it will definitely be thick."

After she counted, she called someone to come and distribute the special issue. Of course she doesn't have to do this herself. While she was sitting on the sofa waiting, her best friend next to her suddenly tugged on her sleeve and handed the magazine to her.

“Look, look, this author.”

That was the last third-round shortlisted novel in the special issue. The header of the novel was printed with the words "Manuscript specially invited by NTU." The moment she saw the author's name on the right side of the title, Zhang Qian's pupils dilated, and the blood in her body seemed to have frozen and stopped flowing.

She stopped breathing for a moment. After repeatedly confirming that she had read correctly, she snatched the manuscript from her best friend's hand, laughed dryly, and turned around and said in a questioning tone:

"Wang Zixu?"

She turned to see her best friend's opinion, but her best friend smiled and said, "I have the same name as your ex-boyfriend!"

Zhang Qian's expression was not smiling. Soon, the smile on my best friend's face disappeared.

"This was written by your ex-boyfriend?" asked her best friend, "Didn't you say you were eliminated in the finals?"

Zhang Qian shook her head blankly, she didn't know what happened.

The most optimistic way to think about it is that maybe it’s just as my best friend said, it’s just the same name. But is there such a coincidence in the world? What's more, Wang Zixu said just now that he was looking for Nanda Zhong Junmin.

The best friend frowned and asked: "Your ex-boyfriend is from Nanda University?"

Zhang Qian shook her head: "No. He is from Beili."

The best friend breathed a sigh of relief: "Then it can't be him. It says, Nanda University specially invited manuscript."

Zhang Qian's brows were still furrowed: "But he also said to find Professor Zhong. Professor Zhong is the person in charge of this specially invited manuscript."

Her best friend asked: "Then he really followed Professor Zhong is related?”

“It can’t be related?”

My best friend covered her face with a magazine: “Or, it’s related. "Is it related?"

Zhang Qian had an idea: "By the way, he is related to Ning Chunyan! Ning Chunyan is from Nanjing University!"

Best friend one She clapped her hands and said: "Look, we have found the crux!"

Zhang Qian frowned: "Is his relationship with Ning Chunyan so good? It doesn't look like it?"

The best friend snickered: "If this is really the case, then I can only say that Ning Chunyan has a bad taste in men."

Zhang Qian felt a little sour in her heart. She didn't think about it at first, but what her best friend said was indeed a possibility.

She doesn’t care that the prince has a new love. They fell in love only after a long time, and she has no feeling at all in her heart. The sourness in her heart was just pure jealousy.

In the past, she felt that her boyfriend was richer and more prestigious than Wang Zixu, so she had a psychological advantage, but she still knew that she was not as good as Ning Chunyan. After her psychological advantage was gone, it was the first time she knew it felt so suffocating. It’s impossible for any ex to get used to seeing his ex’s new love as better than him.

Zhang Qian shook her head: "No, Wang Zixu has nothing to do with Nanda. He can't be in the invited article. And even if he gets in, it will only be for this special issue, and he won't get anything."

Her best friend stared at her with suspicious eyes: "You just killed him if you were shortlisted. If he is in the top ten, you won't kill him because of you. Are you making a fuss about the manuscript? " Zhang Qian smiled disdainfully: "What about the top ten? Do you remember who was in the top ten of the literary conference last year? No one will remember it except the champion.

"He has found so many connections and exhausted his connections just to get into the top ten. It is his short-sightedness. So what if it’s in the special issue? It was just to satisfy his boring dream of being a scholar and satisfy his addiction to being a writer. ”

Her best friend said "tsk, tsk" twice: "Thinking about it this way, Ningchun Banquet is quite pitiful."

She turned around and asked again: "But if he enters the top ten, he will have a chance to enter the selection. What will happen if he really gets a prize?"

Zhang Qian Pursing his lips, he said: "Do you think those judges are just decorations? The final review of this article conference is a cross-review, the total score is calculated, and the highest and lowest scores are removed.

"He found a relationship or two, entered the third round, entertained himself, and went back to his small unit to show off. Can he still find a relationship in heaven? ”

(End of this chapter)