Want to hang out?

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PS: Did you notice? This book has already been signed. Thanks to Dong Riyanfan for the first tip! Also, the character section is up with a picture of Xiaobai.

When the team leader called on her to comment on "This Hero Is Obviously Strong but Overly Cautious," Jiang Rong couldn’t wait and immediately spoke up.

“Team leader, this script is really interesting...” She went on to list a host of advantages.

Old Liu remained impassive and said, “What about the flaws?”

Jiang Rong was momentarily stunned and replied, “I think there are no flaws. It’s very good.”

Old Liu said, “How can there be no flaws? Every script has flaws.”

Jiang Rong thought a moment and said, “Honestly, I really don’t see any flaws.”

The team leader said, “I think your flaw is your attitude.”

“Heh heh, team leader, I’m shortsighted. Actually, there are flaws, like some clichés—such as the princess summoning the hero to save the world...”

She struggled to squeeze out three flaws through clenched teeth and couldn’t think of any others.

Wait—that’s also three flaws?

The team leader glanced at the others watching and asked, “Anyone else? He Chao?”

He Chao shared his views and concluded, “The biggest flaw, I think, is that it might struggle to find acceptance in today’s market.”

The team leader frowned and said, “Stop sugarcoating it. Give it to me straight! Once and for all!”

Everyone shuddered. He Chao quickly added, “The hero’s main trait is being very strong yet extremely cautious...”

After him, two more people shared their opinions on the hero, all agreeing it was interesting, but when listing flaws, they said it didn’t fit the mainstream market demands.

What are the current mainstream market demands?

Passionate battles, overcoming obstacles, evenly matched foes—sometimes the enemy is overwhelmingly strong, the protagonist falls into desperation, their inner energy bursts forth, and they undergo a rebirth... In short, they must face great trials and near-death experiences to defeat their opponent and transform.

But this hero script goes against the market’s mainstream. The protagonist is excessively powerful yet so cautious—what’s the point of fighting then? Might as well just spank them.

After everyone spoke, team leader Old Liu neither agreed nor disagreed and moved on to the next group.

Jiang Rong couldn’t help but interject, “Boss, who wrote this script?”

Old Liu glanced at her and said, “Does it matter who wrote it?”

Jiang Rong said, “I just want to get to know this funny... big shot.”

Old Liu said, “Go ask Zhang Tan later, he knows.”

Everyone immediately looked at Zhang Tan. Jiang Rong said, “Zhang Tan, so you knew all along? Then why were you joking around with me this morning? That’s not fair.”

Zhang Tan replied, “I said you’d have reservations when you commented.”

Jiang Rong suspected, “Could it be the team leader who wrote it?”

Old Liu looked a little pleased but denied it, “I’m not that young at heart.”

Next, the remaining members spoke one by one. After the meeting ended, Old Liu kept Zhang Tan behind to discuss his hero script.

“Overall, it’s pretty good, but everyone is right about one thing—the style differs too much from current market trends, so the risks are too great...”

Zhang Tan understood the team leader’s point.

Creating animation is a long process, even more complicated than live-action film. The production involves hundreds of people working together, drawing every frame by hand. Once a project is greenlit, even the fastest takes at least two years.

With such a massive workload and enormous costs, animation companies have to be cautious. Instead of gambling on a hero story, it’s safer to greenlight a mainstream anime like “Under Mount Tianyu.”

Having realized this, Zhang Tan felt no regrets. He never expected the hero script to be approved; he only wanted to hear professional writers’ opinions and test the market’s reaction, which he had now achieved.

Back at his seat, Zhang Tan packed up to leave. Jiang Rong caught up and asked, “Zhang Tan, you still haven’t told me who wrote the hero script?”

Zhang Tan walked and replied, “Why are you so curious about the author?”

Jiang Rong said, “I think the author really suits my taste. I want to meet them. Who is it? Tell me now.”

“I am.”

After saying this, Zhang Tan entered the elevator. Jiang Rong stood outside, stunned.

“Are you coming in? The elevator’s about to close.”

“Ah? Oh, okay, okay.”

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Jiang Rong hurried into the elevator and continued staring at him.

“What kind of look is that?”

“Zhang Tan, did you just say you wrote the hero script?”

“Yes, I’m that funny guy.”

“...So you’re the mastermind behind the scenes, deliberately making me the joke.”

Zhang Tan didn’t linger and stepped out of the elevator. Someone entered behind him, seeing a girl banging her head against the elevator shaft, muttering, “I’m the funny guy, I’m the real funny guy.”

A kind person asked, “The elevator’s going up. Are you coming out?”

Jiang Rong touched her forehead. Her skin was intact, no scratches.

“Eighth floor, thanks.”

Jiang Rong returned to find colleagues leaving work one by one, running over to tell them, “Did you know? The funny guy who wrote the hero script is Zhang Tan.”

Very boring, very gossip-worthy.

Zhang Tan emerged from the subway entrance, went to the market, bought some groceries, returned home, rolled up his sleeves, tied on an apron, and started cooking dinner.

He was particular about food and quite skilled in the kitchen.

Opening the kitchen window, he heard children’s voices in the yard.

“Are there any kids here? Kids—are you there?”

“No silly kids here.”

Behind the trees, no one was visible, but he knew it was Xiaobai.

She was the only one who spoke Sichuan dialect.

Soon, there came the sound of thudding and pattering as a small figure kicked a soccer ball in the yard. Sure enough, it was Xiaobai in her patriotic Chinese outfit.

This kid was always the first to arrive at the academy. When no friends were around, she kicked the soccer ball or dug in the sand.

No fancy skills—just chasing the ball, kicking it, chasing it again, kicking again. The only difference from running was that the soccer ball was teasing her.

Suddenly, Xiaobai looked up at Zhang Tan at the window, lifted her little head and stared for a moment. Her face, patched with bandages, met his gaze.

She hugged the soccer ball, ran closer, stood by the window, held up two fingers and asked, “Uncle, what’s this number?”

Zhang Tan was speechless, reluctant to answer, feeling it lowered his IQ for no reason. But if he didn’t answer, Xiaobai might think he was drunk.

“It’s two!”

Hearing this, Xiaobai grinned and said, “Uncle, come play! Hurry, come play!”

Hugging the ball, she patted it on the ground, inviting him to play soccer together.

That day she saw Zhang Tan’s kick and thought he was pretty good—someone worthy to play with.

Usually, she looked down on people with poor skills.

At Little Red Horse Academy, few girls could play soccer with her; boys usually ended up fighting her.

“My mom won’t let me play with you!” Zhang Tan thought but didn’t say.

“I don’t feel like playing soccer now.”

Xiaobai kept inviting enthusiastically:

“Come on, hurry!”

“No, no.”

“Come on, just play, come downstairs.”

“Really not coming.”

“Hurry down and play!”

“Thanks, but really no.”

“Why? Why won’t you come?”

Xiaobai jumped up a bit angrily. She didn’t understand why her warm invitation was rejected.

Zhang Tan couldn’t help but laugh and cry. So enthusiastic, yet she gave off the vibe of a domineering CEO. How could her warmth feel like pressure?

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“I’m cooking dinner right now, can’t play.”

He was making stir-fried pork with oyster mushrooms.

“Didn’t you eat yet?” Xiaobai asked.

“Eat what?”

“Mang mang.”

“What’s that? Speak Mandarin please.”

“Didn’t you eat rice?”

“No, did you?”

“Yes, I did.”

“You shouldn’t exercise vigorously after eating; it’ll hurt your stomach.”

“My stomach doesn’t hurt.”

...

As they chatted, Xiaobai gave Zhang Tan a peculiar feeling. She carried a mix of adorable dominance—cute but bossy, fierce yet sweet. One moment full of fiery temper, stomping around ready to pick a fight, the next moment all was calm and peaceful.

From afar, the guard Old Li at the gatehouse kept glancing over, thinking Xiaobai was provoking Zhang Tan. This kid was capable of anything; recently she’d been trying to win him over, asking him to “bang some earwax” onto Zhang Tan.

Worried, he left his post to check. If they were quarreling, he’d intervene. But as he approached, he heard them chatting about food. Though not old friends, they were clearly not enemies.

Wasn’t there supposed to be shouting and fighting? How did it suddenly change?

After listening a while and certain they wouldn’t fall out, he quietly left, glad he hadn’t been tricked into causing trouble for Zhang Tan. Otherwise, he’d be in a tough spot both inside and out.

Kids really are unreliable—making up so quickly almost strained his old back.

“Smells so good.”

Xiaobai stood downstairs sniffing, then suddenly grabbed her neck, saying “Ouch, ouch.”

“What’s wrong?” Zhang Tan asked.

He checked the range hood—turned on, no way smell would leak down to the first floor.

Worried, he turned the hood to full power.

“My neck feels so sore. I’ll come up and chat with you.”

She dropped the soccer ball and dashed into the building.

Soon, Xiaobai knocked on his door.

Zhang Tan wiped his hands and opened it.

“Here, eat this.” Xiaobai pulled a handful of boiled peanuts from her pocket and offered them to Zhang Tan.

“You keep them. I don’t eat peanuts.”

“Why? Why don’t you eat them? What do you mean?”

So fierce! If he didn’t eat her peanuts, it seemed like she’d eat them herself.

“...” Zhang Tan said, “I’m about to eat dinner. If I eat peanuts now, I won’t have an appetite.”

Xiaobai ignored him and shoved the peanuts into his hand, forcing him to eat.

Such a domineering CEO style.

Zhang Tan laughed and cried. To show sincerity, he shelled one and ate it, inviting Xiaobai inside to sit.

Xiaobai leaned on the doorframe, looked down at the shiny floor, shook her head, and said, “My feet are dirty. I’ll make your home dirty.”

Then she peeked inside and asked, “Uncle, what are you cooking?”

Zhang Tan replied, “Stir-fried pork with oyster mushrooms. Want to come in and check out my skills?”

Xiaobai shook her head, “I’m going to wait for the kids. Bye~”

And off she ran.