Chapter 50: Heated Debate, Office Machinations

Wang Weiye walked down the corridor and pushed open the heavy doors of the meeting room.

The hinges emitted a faint, muffled creak as they turned.

Inside the room, eight editors were scattered about, some seated, some standing.

They were gathered around a long rectangular conference table littered with an array of books, manuscripts, and handwritten notes.

At the head of the table sat a middle-aged man impeccably dressed in a black suit. Though slightly stout, his piercing gaze radiated an unmistakable and formidable authority.

He was Lin Hewei, the editor-in-chief of Shanghai Literature.

"Quiet, everyone. Let's quiet down."

Lin Hewei's voice was deep and resonant, instantly subduing the lively discussions filling the room.

The gathered editors fell silent, turning their attention toward him in unison, and the atmosphere in the room shifted instantly to one of solemn gravity.

Once everyone had settled back into their seats, Lin Hewei spoke again, his tone softening considerably.

"Ladies and gentlemen, following our preliminary screening and reading, we now have a foundational understanding and evaluation of these ten submissions.

Today, our task is to write reviews for the works we personally believe are most worthy of recommendation. After reading them aloud, we will determine the ultimate winner through a vote.

Now, let us begin."

The moment his voice trailed off, the room buzzed with renewed energy.

Wang Weiye was no exception. He rapidly organized the plot and literary techniques of The King of Trees in his mind, quietly pondering how best to capture its allure with the most precise and evocative language.

His thoughts drifted back to that afternoon a few days prior.

Gripping a manuscript with palpable excitement—as if holding a literary treasure on the verge of blooming—Wang Weiye had strode purposefully toward Editor-in-Chief Lin Hewei's desk.

"Little Wang, you look exceptionally pleased with yourself. What wonderful news have you stumbled upon?"

Lin Hewei looked up, his gaze carrying a mixture of curiosity and amusement as a gentle smile touched the corners of his mouth.

Wang Weiye handed the manuscript across the desk, a bright spark of anticipation shining in his eyes.

"Editor-in-Chief Lin, just take a look at this piece. I'll stake my reputation on it—this will undoubtedly be the crowning masterpiece of our upcoming issue, and first place is guaranteed to belong to it!"

Intrigued by Wang Weiye's glowing endorsement, Lin Hewei reached out and took the manuscript, his fingers gently brushing against the slightly coarse yet textured stationery.

Habitually, Lin Hewei lit a cigarette, drew in a deep breath, and then slowly exhaled a plume of smoke that drifted lazily, blurring in the slanting sunlight.

Before long, Lin Hewei was completely absorbed in the world of the manuscript, his expression shifting from time to time into one of deep contemplation.

As Lin Hewei became utterly engrossed in reading, the burning tip of his cigarette inadvertently singed his fingers, yet he remained entirely oblivious.

It was only when a sharp sting finally registered that he snapped back to reality.

He flicked his hand and chuckled with self-deprecating amusement, saying, "I was so captivated that I completely forgot about my cigarette."

Lin Hewei resumed flipping through the pages, the look of pleasant surprise on his face growing increasingly difficult to conceal.

He looked up at Wang Weiye, his eyes gleaming with appreciative light. "Little Wang, this piece is genuinely exceptional. I haven't finished it yet, but I can already feel the author's talent and potential. This is unmistakably a soul with a rich story pouring its heart out."

Hearing this, Wang Weiye smiled triumphantly, confidence and pride radiating from his gaze. "Ha! I knew you would love it. Whether judged by the delicacy of its prose or the profound depth of its thematic exploration, this piece utterly crushes every other submission we've received for this issue. It's like a brilliant pearl shining brightly amidst a sea of ordinary manuscripts."

"Indeed, it is," Lin Hewei agreed with a nod, his expression filled with a reverent love for literature. "However, I still need to finish reading the piece to fully appreciate the author's complete train of thought and emotional arc. Bear with me just a moment; I'll be done shortly."

With that, Lin Hewei lowered his head once more, completely immersing himself in the text.

Time ticked away second by second, and the air within the office seemed to freeze in place.

At last, Lin Hewei slowly raised his head, fixing his gaze firmly on Wang Weiye.

His eyes were filled with affirmation and praise, as if saying, "Little Wang, your judgment was spot on. This piece is truly extraordinary."

Lin Hewei continued, "Though this pen name—'Bringing a Knife on a Rainy Night Without an Umbrella'—leaves me somewhat bewildered."

Wang Weiye chimed in with a nod, "I agree, it's rather baffling."

Lin Hewei pondered for a moment before saying, "At the decision meeting in a few days, let this piece take the top prize for the submission drive."

Wang Weiye's eyes lit up as he eagerly agreed, "Then I—"

"Ahem."

A sharp cough pulled Wang Weiye back to the present.

He had carried out everything Editor-in-Chief Lin had instructed.

Regrettably, he had run into obstruction from other editors. There were nine of them in total.

The decision would be made by a vote.

The editor-in-chief's word was not absolute here; they operated on the principle of the minority submitting to the majority.

Therefore, the upcoming round of commentary was of utmost importance.

The first to speak was a senior editor named Li Xingguo. Wearing a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, he projected an air of refined elegance: "My choice is The Boat of Time. With its unique narrative technique, this work transports readers on an emotional journey that transcends space and time. The author skillfully weaves together the intersections of history and reality, prompting us to reflect on the passage of time and the meaning of life even as we savor the story. I believe this is a masterpiece capable of touching hearts and inspiring deep contemplation."

Next, a middle-aged female editor, Yang Zai'an, stood up. "My recommendation is Marketplace. This piece employs delicate brushstrokes to depict the vibrant colorfulness of street vending, while never failing to unearth profound insights into human nature. The author uses words to construct a world that is both realistic and dreamlike, allowing readers to experience the warmth and color of life while enjoying the read."

These two were his principal rivals.

Among the ten books, only The Boat of Time, Marketplace, and The King of Trees recommended by this group had garnered general approval; the rest had already been eliminated in the preliminary rounds.

They were merely there to make up the numbers.

As each editor took their turn speaking, the atmosphere in the meeting room grew increasingly heated.

It felt as though every single work deserved to win an award.

Finally, it was Wang Weiye's turn to speak.

He stood up, swept a resolute gaze across the assembled editors, and began slowly: "My choice is The King of Trees. The author previously submitted another piece, The King of Chess, which also won everyone's approval. The artistic conception of The King of Trees surpasses even that of The King of Chess, carrying profound allegorical meaning. Therefore, this book deserves to be selected."

Wang Weiye paused, picked up the enamel mug on the table, and took a sip of water.

Li Xingguo glanced sideways at Wang Weiye, a flash of impatience crossing his eyes, though he maintained a veneer of politeness.

"Since everyone has already expressed their opinions, shouldn't we move on to the voting stage now?"

His tone carried an unquestionable authority, an attempt to seize control of the meeting's pace.

Lin Hewei sat off to the side, his brow furrowed, clearly displeased with Li Xingguo's maneuver.

As the moderator of the meeting, he felt sidelined and ignored.

He shot a sharp glare at Li Xingguo, trying to communicate his displeasure through his eyes, but Li Xingguo either failed to notice or simply didn't care.

By this point, several editors who clearly leaned toward Li Xingguo had already begun voting.

"We vote for The Boat of Time."

Including Li Xingguo himself, three people had already raised their hands in favor of The Boat of Time.

Wang Weiye gently set down his enamel mug, the crisp clink sounding jarringly loud in the quiet meeting room.

Seeing this, Wang Weiye's smile widened and grew even brighter.

"Editor Li, your haste really catches me off guard. I'd barely taken a sip of water and was just about to share a few more thoughts on this manuscript, and yet you've already started voting?"

Li Xingguo raised an eyebrow, plainly surprised and annoyed by Wang Weiye's interruption.

"What more is there to say? The meeting is practically concluded, and everyone's time is precious."