Chapter 9: Jay Chou's "Sunny Day"

Chapter 9: Jay Chou’s "Sunny Day"

With the monthly exams approaching, Li Jingkun had been staying away from the internet cafe lately. Once the exams concluded, he finally allowed himself to relax; that very evening, he skipped evening self-study to head back to the cafe.

As soon as he logged into his Penguin account, he noticed a new friend request. Clicking on it, he saw someone with the screen name "Fan," who identified herself as an editor for *Tender Sprouts*. He accepted the request, took a quick glance at her profile, and then checked his email.

Sure enough, there was a reply waiting for him, sent just that noon—a lucky coincidence. The email stated that his manuscript had passed the initial review. However, since they could tell it was a full-length novel, they needed to confirm the approximate word count and the expected completion date. Furthermore, since he hadn't included a synopsis, they requested that he write one for them. They also required some personal details and a home phone number.

Unsure if the editor named "Fan" was online, Li Jingkun replied via email. He told them that a synopsis wasn't necessary, as the novel was about 120,000 words long and largely finished, currently undergoing final revisions. He estimated he could send the remaining parts in about three weeks. He provided his home phone number, though he noted that he lived in the school dormitory and only went home on weekends. Finally, after a moment's thought, he included his personal details: born in December 1989, name Li Jingkun, 16 years old, male, currently a freshman in high school.

In the past, a high school freshman writing a novel and on the verge of being published would have been a sensational event. But since the rise of Han Han and the publication of *Triple Gate*, a wave of young authors had emerged. There was even a girl the same age as Li Jingkun, Jiang Fangfang, who had started writing at seven and published a collection of essays at nine. Therefore, while Li Jingkun’s ability to write this book was pleasantly surprising, it wasn't exactly earth-shattering. *Tender Sprouts* currently featured many middle school students around his age or even younger. He had liked many of their works, though he didn't buy the magazine as often anymore since he had already read many of them.

After sending the email, Li Jingkun went back to writing, determined to pick up the pace. After all, besides a guitar, he now had another item on his shopping list: a mobile phone. Few high school students owned phones at the moment—not because they couldn't afford them, but because of the fear that they would distract from their studies. This, however, was a trend that wouldn't last; in a few years, almost every high school student would have one.

The next day, Li Jingkun returned to the internet cafe, but the editor "Fan" hadn't sent him any messages, and there was no new mail. He didn't dwell on it and continued working on his novel.

The monthly exam results were released a few days later. Li Jingkun ranked tenth in his class and just over a hundredth in the entire grade. He had the top score in English and tied for fifth in Chinese, though his math and physics scores were on the lower end. He realized he would need to put more effort into those two subjects.

A week later, he sent another 30,000 words to *Tender Sprouts*.

A few days prior, he had joined the guitar club. Joining clubs was usually simple—just a matter of filling out a registration form. A few required a fee, but the guitar club did not.

At City No. 1 High School, afternoon classes ran from 14:00 to 16:25. Then, from 16:35 to 17:15, there was an extra session known as the "ninth period." Usually, this time was used for math Olympiad tutoring or club activities, though students could also use it for independent study. On this day, Li Jingkun was notified to attend a meeting on the first floor of the Mingzheng Building. He arrived on time to find a large crowd, many of whom had brought their own guitars. As with most things, there were many starters, but few who would actually stick with it.

The club president, Huang Xuezhi, opened the meeting, followed by a teacher named Qiu Shuming. It turned out the guitar club was overseen by a faculty member, as they were expected to arrange performances for the New Year’s gala and school anniversary events, much like the choir and dance clubs. Afterward, the senior members from the second and third years introduced themselves, followed by the new members.

Since it was a club activity, the atmosphere wasn't overly formal, and many students were quite outgoing—expected traits for those who would eventually perform on stage. There were many beginners, but for those with experience who had brought their guitars, Mr. Qiu asked them to play a short piece. When it was Li Jingkun’s turn, he mentioned he had been practicing for over a year but that his foundations were average. Mr. Qiu told him that was fine and to go ahead. Someone lent him a guitar, and he played a short segment of Jay Chou’s "Sunny Day." Mr. Qiu offered a few words of encouragement, noting his foundation was decent and urging him to keep practicing.

As the meeting concluded, the president announced that from then on, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday during the ninth period, they would practice in classroom 306 on the third floor of the Art Building. Tuesdays and Thursdays were optional, though many would likely be there to practice as well. Everyone was required to bring their guitars, and Mr. Qiu would come by frequently to teach. Students were also encouraged to ask the seniors for help if they encountered any difficulties.

That night, he went to the internet cafe again. As soon as he logged on, he received a message from the *Tender Sprouts* editor, "Fan," asking him to reply once he was online. They had chatted briefly a few times; the editor, Hu Yunying, told him he could simply call her Editor Hu.

She hadn't replied to his previous emails because she wanted to wait and review the subsequent chapters. Li Jingkun was a newcomer, and novels could sometimes be inconsistent. Since he claimed the book was already written, she wanted to gauge the quality of the later parts before continuing the discussion.

They had now received 60,000 to 70,000 words, and she was largely confident it was suitable for publication. It just wouldn't be immediate, as they had another serialized novel still running, and the content for the next few issues was already locked in.

"It likely won't be able to start until the New Year, specifically the first half of January 2006. We'll run 5,000 words per issue, totaling about 10,000 words a month. If we serialize the whole thing, at 120,000 words, it will take about a year."

Hu Yunying’s words were unexpected; he hadn't anticipated such a long serialization. In his past life, he had been a mere reader and had never paid attention to how long a novel took to serialize. In the world of web novels, an author would be roasted alive for this: "A 120,000-word novel stretched over 12 months? Are you trying to reach the heavens?"

"However, we often don't serialize the entire book. Usually, we'll run half or more, then conclude the serialization and decide whether to release a standalone volume based on the response."

Some things truly have to be experienced to be understood. He realized there were so many industry rules he hadn't known. For instance, he now learned that being serialized didn't guarantee a standalone book—it all depended on market reaction. If his novel's feedback was mediocre after a couple of issues, it could even be pulled.

"But in my experience, your novel has appeal and is worth publishing."

Hu Yunying assured him that his book could be published, as she and the other editors at the magazine all agreed it was well-written. She didn't specify the initial print run or projected sales, as those things were impossible to predict.

That wasn't Li Jingkun’s primary concern at the moment, however; he trusted the quality of his work and their professional judgment. What he cared about now was when he would get paid. Without money, he couldn't afford a guitar or a phone, and he wouldn't even be able to pay for his internet time.

"So, when will I be able to get paid?"