Needless to say, it failed.
When the result came out, Huang Yifan almost froze like a crashed computer.
Just yesterday, The Number One White Under Heaven had ascended to godhood with 'The School Belle's Bodyguard' on Mobile Reading, rising to 9-star status.
And yet tonight, fate played a cruel joke, a 9-star author releasing a new book that couldn't even reach 10,000 bookmarks.
Falling from the peak to the bottom in an instant nearly drove Huang Yifan insane.
But that was only part of it.
More importantly, this failure shattered his mindset.
So… he wasn't a genius after all.
Once he reached that conclusion, Huang Yifan instead calmed down.
He began to think about what he truly wanted after coming to this world.
Was it for money?
Not really.
Like many writers, Huang Yifan didn't place much importance on wealth. Being able to support himself through writing was already enough.
Was it for fame?
Partly, but not entirely.
He nodded, then shook his head.
He did want fame, but not the dazzling, spotlight-filled kind of fame that celebrities enjoyed. He wanted something quieter, hidden among the crowd, behind the scenes, yet able to use his pen to move countless readers.
At that moment, something stirred within him.
He began to understand what he truly wanted.
It wasn't fame or fortune, but the ability to use his pen to create his own world.
And yet, when he tried to create that world, it collapsed.
That was why the failure of his original work nearly drove him mad.
Because in the end, he was still just like his past self, a struggling, mediocre writer.
Perhaps he had improved compared to before.
But that improvement was so small it was almost negligible.
For two whole months, Huang Yifan drifted through life like a walking corpse.
Dragging himself to class every day.
Returning home with lifeless eyes.
Staring blankly at his 9-star author badge on Lingdian.
Wasting each day doing nothing.
One weekend, he slept until 2 p.m. without getting up.
Not because he couldn't wake up, but because he had no reason to.
What was the point of getting up?
Write a novel?
Don't joke. His last failure was a brutal reminder.
As he lay there lost in thought, someone suddenly burst into the room.
"Huang Yifan, why are you still in bed?"
It was Zhang Huiping. Seeing him still lying there, she quickly pulled him up.
Rubbing his eyes and yawning, Huang Yifan replied lazily, "Alright, I'm getting up."
"Come on, let's go downstairs for fried noodles, then we'll go to the library together."
"Forget it. You go. I'm not going."
Instead of following her, Huang Yifan turned on his computer and opened League of Legends.
Ever since his novel failed, he had become addicted to the game.
Unfortunately, he was terrible at it, dying at least twenty times every match.
Still, he played enthusiastically.
At least when he was gaming, he didn't have to think about writing.
"Huang Yifan, you…"
Seeing him not only refuse to go but start playing games instead, Zhang Huiping got angry and pulled out the power cable.
"You go by yourself. I'm not going to the library anymore either."
Looking at the black screen, Huang Yifan replied blankly.
"Huang Yifan, can you tell me what's been going on with you lately?"
Zhang Huiping reached out as if to touch him, hesitated, then finally grabbed his hand.
"Your hands are so cold."
She placed her other hand over his, trying to warm him.
"Huang Yifan, you know what? You've completely changed. You're not the same person anymore."
"Really? I didn't notice."
"Look at me."
She leaned closer, staring into his eyes.
"Before, you acted like you were pretending to be a great talent. I knew you were just hiding it, avoiding trouble. But you were kind, always willing to help others. Even when people hurt you, you didn't hold grudges. But now…"
She paused, then continued.
"Now you don't care about anything. You don't talk, you don't study. Look at your eyes, they've lost their brightness. I'm really worried about you. If this continues… I… Have you run into some kind of trouble? Can you tell me? I may be stupid, but I can still try to help."
"You're not stupid. Really."
Her warmth softened his despair a little.
"If you want to know, I'll tell you."
After a moment, he said, "The truth is… I'm not a genius. I'm not the talented person you think I am. I just like to pretend. The reason I seemed smarter, better than others, was just an accident. But that accident made me believe I was special. That I was a genius. Recently, though… I finally realized the truth. I'm not."
"That's it?"
"That's it? Don't you think that's painful?"
"Painful? I don't."
She shook her head.
"You know, I used to think I was the dumbest person in the world. Others could understand something in half an hour, but I needed two hours and still didn't get it. Even if I worked harder than everyone else, I still couldn't catch up. I almost gave up on studying. If it weren't for you, I might not even be in high school."
"You don't understand…"
Huang Yifan shook his head.
"Just go back. Study hard. Become a PhD someday."
He pulled his hand away.
But something about his words or his coldness made Zhang Huiping suddenly erupt.
"Huang Yifan, then let me wake you up!"
She shouted.
"Zengzi once said: 'I was not born with knowledge; I love the ancient teachings and diligently seek them.' No one is a natural genius! You told me before, 'Among any three people, one can be my teacher.' This failure you're facing is nothing more than a tiny obstacle. Don't look at me like that. Are you surprised I sound smart?"
She took a deep breath.
"Huang Yifan, I want to tell you… I've grown up. I just liked acting like a clueless girl in front of you. Do you know why I want to become a PhD? Because I thought that if I did, I could be with you without being laughed at. Then you'd never call me stupid again. But now… even if I become a PhD, it won't mean anything."
After saying that, she bit his arm hard and stormed out.
The sharp pain snapped Huang Yifan out of his daze.
"No one is born a genius…"
Even sages achieved greatness through learning.
That was what she meant.
To think that he, who considered himself clever, had just been taught a lesson by her.
Yet, he smiled.
The silly girl had finally grown up.
And he, at last, had awakened.
So what if he failed?
So what if he was ordinary?
So what if he wasn't a genius?
As long as he worked hard, he could surpass them all.
Work hard, young man.
What if she really became a PhD one day and surpassed him?
With his resolve renewed, Huang Yifan felt completely at ease.
The gloom that had weighed on him for months vanished.
He turned on his computer and posted a single chapter on 'The School Belle's Bodyguard'.
"To all my readers, I once believed I was a genius. I thought I was better, smarter than others. I thought I was some kind of prophet, even a sage. But today, I finally understand. I am just an ordinary person. I can fail. There are things I don't know. It's laughable that I was lost in a dream. Now that the dream is broken, I've awakened.
Fortunately, I woke up.
Otherwise, I would have completely lost myself.
'The School Belle's Bodyguard' will officially end within three months.
I'm grateful to all of you for accompanying Whitey.
But all gatherings must come to an end.
The world Whitey created ends here.
Now, I must go live my own life and create my own world.
But don't worry.
We will meet again.
I just don't know when.
Maybe tomorrow.
Maybe in the future.
But believe this, Whitey will return.
I just don't know… when that day comes, will you still recognize me?
Farewell, my dear friends.
Farewell, brothers of White Jade Hall.
Farewell, my beloved readers."
A tear quietly slid down at that moment.
==========
Unlock up to 50 advanced chapters on Patreon!
patreon.com/Childish_Patriarch