Tianfang Tower, Building B, Room 707, 19th floor, downtown Modu.
Through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, Zhang Yun gazed out at the lingering glow of the setting sun over the Huangpu River, his eyes distant and hazy.
Modu was the most prosperous city in Huaguo's economy. Owning a home in its downtown, where every inch of land was worth its weight in gold, could only be described as something only the wealthy could afford. Anyone able to buy property here was either a second-generation rich kid or a successful entrepreneur. Zhang Yun was neither. But through his own hard work, he'd carved out a place for himself in this city.
Zhang Yun liked this feeling.
Yet even as he basked in his inner joy, a vague sense of unease quietly crept in.
'The Ghost Mocks the Scholar.'
Zhang Yun couldn't help but think back to the supernatural story he read yesterday.
It was a classic from the 'Strange Tales' series.
Thanks to that single masterpiece, Midnight Talk, under the influence of 'Strange Tales', was rapidly catching up with Suspense World.
Even with someone like him, a so-called master of the supernatural genre, holding the line in Suspense World, it didn't seem to be helping much.
Or perhaps, his presence actually did make a significant impact, but compared to the massive boost 'Strange Tales' had given to Midnight Talk, his own contribution was negligible.
Was he, the grand master of supernatural fiction, really about to lose to some unknown rookie writer?
Though Zhang Yun didn't want to admit it, if things kept going the way they were, within two months, Midnight Talk would overtake Suspense World in sales.
A heavy sense of crisis descended on him. Zhang Yun was anxious, yet a little excited too.
He opened his computer and logged into TT, which he hadn't used in a long time, then added a new contact.
The ID was Fanchen, a name Zhang Yun had only uncovered after considerable digging.
A while later, the friend request was accepted.
"I'm Zhang Yun."
He sent the message with flair, believing that once the other person saw his name, they'd be utterly shocked. But Zhang Yun was wrong. After introducing himself, the reply came: "Zhang Yun? Who's that?"
Zhang Yun nearly choked on his own saliva. Zhang Yun! Who in the supernatural world didn't know who Zhang Yun was? This kid was clearly playing dumb.
"Heh, don't tell me you've never heard of me. Think about it, how many people in the world are named Zhang Yun?"
"I just looked it up. Out of Huaguo's 1.4 billion people, 170.000 are named Zhang Yun. In novels, Zhang Yun is usually just a throwaway side character. Which one are you?"
"You…"
Zhang Yun was so mad he could vomit blood. Finally, he typed: "Fine, I'll spell it out. I'm Zhang Yun, supernatural author, currently serializing 'When Evil Spirits Rule' in Suspense World. Mr. Fanchen, don't tell me you've never heard of me."
…
"Psycho."
Huang Yifan had just finished drafting a story outline when some guy claiming to be Zhang Yun started bothering him.
At first, he didn't know who Zhang Yun was. Only after the guy introduced himself did Huang Yifan get a rough idea.
But just a few sentences in, the guy suddenly challenged him to a bet over which of their books would sell better.
Huang Yifan had never been into bets, especially ones that sounded this idiotic. So in the end, he just called Zhang Yun a psycho and ignored him.
Still, after Zhang Yun, Liangcha popped up again.
Previously discussed publication issues were finally addressed, though Liangcha's messages seemed to carry some hidden meaning. At one moment, he was praising 'Strange Tales', saying it would be a bestseller, and the next, he was saying the royalties would easily surpass a million. In the end, he even apologized to Huang Yifan, saying he was resigning and a new editor would take over.
Was there a problem with the publication?
Although Liangcha hadn't said much, Huang Yifan could more or less guess.
But with no clear explanation, Huang Yifan could only put his speculation aside for now.
In the blink of an eye, the three-day break was over, and Huang Yifan and the other ninth graders were facing the most important exam so far,
The high school entrance exam.
Huang Yifan didn't take it too seriously and just went through the motions. Two days later, it was over.
…
The next day, Tieshikou Middle School.
"Class, the high school entrance exam is done. No matter how you did, Teacher Lin sincerely wishes you all the best in the future. This afternoon is the time for individual and class graduation photos. Whether you're a boy or a girl, go home, take a shower, maybe get a haircut, and come back showing your best, most radiant, most beautiful selves. Alright, you're free to go."
The moment the homeroom teacher finished, Class 2 erupted in excitement.
Three years of junior high were finally over.
For many students eager to grow up, this was the best kind of celebration.
Huang Yifan didn't feel particularly emotional. After all, this was his second life; he viewed many things with a more detached perspective. Still, seeing the excitement all around him, he couldn't help but be swept up a little.
He had to admit, fate had given him a second chance at youth.
Though he still felt a bit out of place in these past few months, how many people got to be young again?
He'd better cherish this time, or the memories of it would all fade into a blur one day.
With that thought in mind, Huang Yifan hurried home and took a shower. Then he went to get a haircut; his hair had grown quite long. After returning, he picked out a white shirt and paired it with a pair of deep black dress pants. Something still felt missing, so he added a bow tie around his neck.
Looking in the mirror, a dashing young man stared back at him.
Even Huang Yifan was stunned by how good he looked.
He had known since arriving in this world that this body was handsome. But after all his experiences in his previous life, his mindset had matured. Whether he looked good or not wasn't something he cared much about. So most of the time, he barely groomed himself; he'd wash his face and leave the house with messy hair.
But now, with a clean cut and the right outfit, his appearance was elevated to a whole new level.
He'd already been handsome; now, he was straight-up dangerously charming.
He thought about changing into something more casual to tone it down, but when he checked the time, the class photo session was about to begin.
There was no time to change. All he could do was rush back to school.
…
"Alright, everyone, gather up. We're about to take the class photo."
Class rep Jiang Weiwei took the lead in organizing the students of Class 2.
"Hmm? Someone's missing."
She counted heads and noticed that Huang Yifan wasn't there yet.
"Hui Ping, check who's not here."
"Looks like it's Huang Yifan."
No need to check. Zhang Huiping might not know about the others, but if Huang Yifan wasn't around, she definitely noticed.
"Him again?"
Upon hearing it was Huang Yifan, Jiang Weiwei grumbled, "That guy is always so careless. Late for class, late for exams, and now he's even late for the graduation photo…"
Just as she was complaining, a voice sounded from behind.
"Class rep Jiang, there's still one minute left. I'm not late this time."
"Oh yeah?"
Recognizing the voice, Jiang Weiwei turned around, only to see a princely figure standing three meters away.
He had fair, smooth skin, sharp brows and eyes, and finely sculpted features. A smile played on his lips, calm and confident. The crisp white shirt, dark trousers, and the bow tie around his neck only enhanced his striking presence. Compared to TV drama heartthrobs, he was even more dazzling.
In that instant, Jiang Weiwei's knees buckled slightly, and she nearly lost her balance.
Steadying herself, she weakly said, "Huang Yifan, get in line. We're taking the photo."
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