Chapter 6: Dreamland (9)
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“Uh… any updates on the fugitive situation?”
“Nothing yet, still chasing leads,” Shiyuan replied coldly.
“Can we meet again?”
“Nope, not the right time yet.
By the way, I suggest you stop wasting your energy on your ridiculous novels. They’re completely pointless.”
Shiyuan hung up the phone.
Lin Nan lay back in his chair, staring at the ceiling. The night was deep, and he still had a cigarette lit, refusing to retreat to the inviting warmth of his bedroom.
He knew that as long as he didn’t go home, Wang Xue would keep the nightlight on, always so thoughtful.
She was practically the perfect wife in every way—he couldn’t find a single fault. Being with her always put him in a good mood; he never worried about household chores. All he had to do was focus on his writing.
She had already taken care of everything at home, and both sets of parents got along splendidly.
What regrets could he have for marrying such a virtuous partner?
His daughter was adorably clingy. Not only did she excel academically, but she also had skills in piano, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Every few days, her progress amazed him.
Let’s be honest: if Lin Xiao grew up to be a star with millions of fans, he wouldn’t even bat an eye.
Because she had that kind of potential.
You could say his family was perfect, with hardly anything ever bothering him. Even when there was, it got resolved quickly.
He used to worry about running out of creativity. What if one day his new book didn’t sell? Would that mean the end of his writing career?
But ever since his average novel inexplicably became a sensation, he felt something was off.
Yes, that’s right—things were going too smoothly.
Both his family and career seemed to be on an effortless upward trajectory.
If it weren’t for Shiyuan’s pesky presence, his emotions wouldn’t have led him to write a novel well below his usual standard.
He wanted to wake himself up with some public criticism, but apparently, everything was going absurdly well.
The novel was a massive hit! Its search index and number of reviews reached unprecedented heights.
This made Lin Nan feel increasingly unreal, which spurred him to angrily write nearly a million words of complete nonsense that was just a mishmash of gibberish.
He wanted to see how the editorial team would react to that.
Or maybe he just sought answers.
This world might not be as absurd as he imagined; perhaps his near-d*ath experiences in “The Way of Inquiry” had granted him an extraordinary stroke of luck.
It was as if he had been given a cheat code—ultimately, it was just good fortune.
So if that haphazardly cobbled-together manuscript got rejected, it would mean everything he had gone through wasn’t just a figment of his imagination.
“Mr. Lin, hello!”
Finally, the long-awaited call from the editorial office came through.
“Hi there.”
For some reason, Lin Nan’s heart started racing like a school kid waiting for a teacher’s judgment after answering questions.
“Mr. Lin, your foray into a new genre has left us pleasantly surprised.”
“What do you mean?”
“Mr. Lin, you are far too humble! We never expected you to have such profound knowledge in the fields of mysticism and divination. When we first received your manuscript, we were completely bewildered—had no clue what you meant! But considering you’re a top-notch author, you’d never throw us a waste manuscript. So, our team consulted many experts and spent over a month deciphering the core concepts of your novel.”
Lin Nan was like, “…What core concepts? I just slapped something together with zero logic, you know? It was a total keyboard smash!”
“Mr. Lin, you’re quite the jokester. I know you’re dissatisfied with our review speed, but your novel is simply too profound. We brought in five experts who spent a week cracking your code. One expert even claimed your contributions to the field of divination rival those of the invention of astrology. While this book may not be suited for the average reader, it has become a new classic in the field of divination, an essential toolbox for countless university professors, researchers, and fortune-tellers.”
Lin Nan was like, “…Fine, play your little games however you like.”
He shakily hung up the phone.
Ha! A new classic in divination? Do you think I’m an idiot?!
He knew exactly how he had written that book—there was no way he didn’t have some common sense!
This was clearly off.
Could luck still be the explanation here?
He had no doubt; even if his next book was scribbled out by a dog, the publisher could still justify its existence.
Suddenly, he picked up the expensive notebook on his desk and slammed it down onto the floor.
SMASH!
The screen shattered into pieces, and keyboard keys went flying everywhere.
Lin Nan wasn’t satisfied; he stomped on it a few times, turning it into a pile of scraps.
The chaos echoed throughout the study—clatter and clamor galore.
Wang Xue rushed in right away. Upon seeing the wreckage, her expression mixed surprise with concern. “Lin Nan, are you okay?”
Lin Nan turned his head away, refusing to look at her. “I’m fine, just… I think I’m done with writing.”
Wang Xue gently approached and hugged him from behind.
“I know you’ve put in so much for our family over the years.
Every single novel reflects your hard work, but the well of inspiration does eventually run dry. Many great authors have put down their pens at times. You’ve already achieved so much; leaving the literary world isn’t such a bad thing. We can finally kick back and enjoy life a bit more.”
Lin Nan sighed, “I was impulsive.”
“No, I mean it. After all these years, the money you earned has multiplied thanks to my investments. So, money shouldn’t be a worry for us anymore.”
Normally, Lin Nan would be thrilled to hear that.
But right now, it felt way too unreal.
I just said I was done writing, and you immediately say the investments are booming—just a tad too eager to keep me from worrying, aren’t you?
This world truly seemed too kind to him.
“Alright, I just want some peace and quiet,” Lin Nan said as he turned back and gently patted Wang Xue on the shoulder.
After over ten years of marriage, her skin remained taut and youthful—time had left her almost untouched.
“Okay.” Wang Xue lightly stood on her tiptoes and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek.
Lin Nan sat back in his chair, breathing heavily. He couldn’t deny that earlier, he’d almost wanted to take Wang Xue right there on the desk.
Thank goodness he held back his urges at the last moment. Watching her leave the study, a hint of disappointment in her eyes strangely filled him with a sense of rebellious triumph.
He felt like a teenager going through a rebellious phase, filled with a disdain for the mundane and monotonous.
But as his emotions began to settle, that quirky little wooden sculpture reappeared on his desk.
