Inside a café on the commercial street outside Luo Xiaolu’s residential complex, Luo Xiaolu sat across from Greenleaf.
“I’m really sorry for asking you to come out on the weekend, Teacher Shuren.”
Greenleaf had ordered two cappuccinos in advance before inviting Luo Xiaolu out.
“It’s fine. It’s my honor to have more chances to exchange ideas with Teacher Greenleaf.”
Today, Luo Xiaolu wore a dress patterned with yellow sunflowers. It made her look playful and adorable, with a unique artistic-girl charm.
“I’m the one who should be saying that.” A faint blush spread across Greenleaf’s face. She quickly coughed twice and continued.
“Based on the current popularity and subscription numbers of *Your Lie in July* on the website, we held an internal meeting and discussion. We’ve decided to purchase the copyright for five hundred thousand yuan without an outright buyout. After contacting a publisher and releasing the book, the author will receive five percent of the sales profits.”
“That’s the proposal reached during the internal meeting. However, since you don’t seem satisfied with the copyright fee, Teacher Zhou Shuren, my superiors asked me to come and sound you out.” Greenleaf smiled.
She had changed the form of address from the respectful “you” to the more familiar one. Clearly, Greenleaf felt much closer to Luo Xiaolu now.
Luo Xiaolu took a sip of coffee.
Her qilin arm trembled slightly.
What the hell? How could this be so bitter?!
What was the point of coffee even existing?!
Wasn’t fat otaku happy water delicious?!
Wasn’t it?! Wasn’t it?! Wasn’t it?!
A thousand wild horses of profanity galloped through Luo Xiaolu’s heart. Yet her face still had to maintain a smile. She elegantly set down her coffee cup.
When she imagined those rich people from the upper-class capitalist world drinking this stuff every day, unable to enjoy fat otaku happy water, Luo Xiaolu felt deeply distressed.
They were far too pitiful!
“After all, my work is my child. Once I sell the copyright, it won’t belong to me anymore.”
Faced with this capitalist transaction, Luo Xiaolu chose empathy.
Still, there was some truth to what she said.
Once the copyright was sold, what the company did with your novel was no longer your concern.
Publishing the book would basically bring nothing but benefits. In an era when online novels weren’t yet especially widespread, releasing a physical book would definitely push Luo Xiaolu’s popularity to its peak.
But if they adapted it into an anime or film, then she’d have to worry a little...
Just think of *Battle Qi Turns into Mom*. How many years had it been since Potato’s corpse was hung on the back mountain?
That old crooked-neck tree was still watching you all from the back mountain. Had you forgotten?!
Forgotten?! Completely forgotten?!
If the adaptation was done well, it would greatly increase Luo Xiaolu’s fame. Her literary influence would naturally rise several levels as well.
But if it was done badly, things would get troublesome.
Luo Xiaolu had created an entirely new writing style this world had never seen before. That fresh, artistic style of the new era wasn’t something the people of this culturally backward world could understand so easily.
The chances of them ruining the adaptation were extremely high!
Luo Xiaolu was still counting on this book to elevate her image further. If the adaptation turned out poorly and left a bad impression on passersby, she might hear comments like:
“What kind of dumbass author is this?”
“Holy crap, is there something wrong with this author’s brain?”
She might even lose points because of it.
“Ah, that...” Greenleaf nodded. “That’s true. Who would be willing to casually trade away their own child?”
“So the price has to go up. One million.”
Luo Xiaolu’s expression turned serious.
“Pfft!”
Although Greenleaf had been mentally prepared, she still spat out the coffee in her mouth.
She’d just doubled the price outright?!
“Teacher Shuren, I can try my best to fight for it, but...”
“I think one million is quite reasonable.”
“I’ll discuss it with the editor in chief. How about seven hundred thousand?”
“I want one million.”
“Eight hundred thousand?”
“I like one million.”
Luo Xiaolu widened her clear, pure eyes. Her entire face was filled with sincerity.
Greenleaf: “...”
Her words sounded polite, but Luo Xiaolu had no intention of giving in at all.
At that moment, Luo Xiaolu was like one of those stubborn homeowners in a village. If the demolition compensation wasn’t enough, she simply wouldn’t cooperate.
Yet she wasn’t afraid that the government might suddenly abandon the demolition project.
Because just yesterday, she had finally received last month’s royalties.
A full seventy thousand!
And next month’s most grind-heavy chapters would only increase!
Even without selling the copyright, Luo Xiaolu’s monthly subscription income was already terrifying enough.
“I’ve never touched money. I’m not interested in money. I only hope that my work can receive the value it deserves!”
“Fine!”
Greenleaf slapped the table and stood up. Using coffee as wine, she downed it in one gulp.
It had been a very, very long time since she’d seen an author who cared so little about fame and profit!
If anyone else had said those words, she definitely wouldn’t have believed them.
But the person standing before her was the author who had written *Your Lie in July*!
She believed her!
“Teacher Zhou Shuren, one million it is. I’ll do my best to convince the editor in chief!”
Luo Xiaolu hadn’t expected Greenleaf to actually agree. Once she recovered, tears filled her eyes.
During this time, Greenleaf had truly taken great care of her!
If only Greenleaf weren’t a woman, Luo Xiaolu would definitely have sworn brotherhood with her!
There was nothing better in this world than a good editor~
“When the spring silkworm dies, its silk is finally exhausted. When the candle turns to ash, its tears at last run dry!”
Luo Xiaolu immediately recited a poem for Greenleaf.
This poem clearly didn’t exist in this world. Greenleaf was moved to tears on the spot and insisted on doing everything she could to fight for Luo Xiaolu.
......
That afternoon, Luo Xiaolu took a taxi to a garden-villa residential community on the edge of the city center.
This was the place she had spent several days choosing. Its location was a little remote, its price was slightly lower, and its cost-performance ratio was excellent.
Qianye was a first-tier city, so even in a remote area like this, the entrance to the community had an entire commercial street and plaza nearby.
Luo Xiaolu had also thought long and hard about moving.
In this world, there weren’t many restrictions on minors. As long as you had money and the proper documents, renting a place wasn’t a problem.
That saved her quite a bit of trouble.
Besides, housing prices here weren’t as insanely inflated as they had been in her previous life’s Great Celestial Empire.
Renting a luxurious little villa for a few thousand yuan a month was completely manageable. The money in Luo Xiaolu’s hands was already enough.
And the copyright contract hadn’t even been signed yet!
Once the huge copyright payment arrived, buying the place outright might even be possible.
Most importantly, after moving into a garden villa like this, she only needed to decorate it properly. Even if she did nothing every day except water the flowers and plants, she’d still be overflowing with artistic points.
That was the conclusion Luo Xiaolu had reached after being tormented by the system countless times.
Apart from literary influence, her everyday life also accounted for a certain portion of her score!
The young female agent who had arranged to meet Luo Xiaolu was genuinely startled when she saw her.
“Are... you here to rent a place?”
As she asked, the agent kept glancing around Luo Xiaolu, searching for someone else.
That was really rude, hey!
“Yes.”
“Ah, sorry! Please, come this way!”
Even so, the little girl before her was exceptionally pretty. Just looking at her was enough to make anyone feel refreshed and at ease.
The agent put on her trademark smile.
