Chapter 73: Chapter 73: Meeting With Tong Lin

“I booked a seat at the tea place on People’s Street. I’ll meet you there later then.” Gu Jin chose the place earlier and directly skipped over the most popular Yuqing Pavilion and chose another restaurant that seemed alright.

(TL: In Shanghai, Renming Lu is known as People’s Street)

Tong Lin answered, “Sure.”

Time was tight. As the party that was inviting, she couldn’t let the others wait. After hanging up, Gu Jin began to clean up herself.

It was around 40 minutes later when she arrived at the meeting spot.

Gu Jin followed the waiter and saw Tong Lin, who was wearing a white shirt, waiting for her.

“Sorry I came late.” She put down her bag and apologized.

Tong Lin stood up and waited for Gu Jin to sit before seating himself. He poured a glass of water and pushed it over to her, “It’s fine, I just got here too.”

“How come only you are here?” Gu Jin took the glass and took a sip. The warm water washed over her lungs and made her feel much more comfortable than the iced water. She looked at the other side, “Where’s ‘Old Man of the Mountain River’?”

Tong Lin didn’t answer and only faintly smiled. His cold face suddenly became a lot warmer.

As an enthusiast, Gu Jin couldn’t help but look a few more times. After looking a few times, she gradually began to understand, “Are you the “Old Man of the Mountain River’?”

“Do I not look like it?” Tong Lin crossed his arms and leaned against the seat, staring deeply into Gu Jin’s eyes and asking.

“No, you look like it.” Gu Jin avoided his eyes and took her glass and took another sip before she smiled and said, “It’s just a little unexpected.”

She didn’t expect such a capturing novel would come from a 20 or so young man. Since in《Ming Dynasty’s First Auxiliary》, the words were sophisticated and unable to be written unless they’ve read hundreds of classics. In particular, the author’s understanding of the Ming Dynasty was deep and made the reader shocked.

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However, why didn’t he just directly say that he was the author?

This situation could be considered meeting an online friend?

…It was somewhat awkward.

Tong Lin uncrossed his arms and tapped his fingers, “I began to write that book the year before.” Afterwards, he seemed to fall into reminisce and muttered, “Writing until now could also be considered a kind of blessing.”

Oh, seems like there’s some story behind this.

Gu Jin was curious but kept quite and didn’t ask out loud.

What if she poked some wound open if she asked?

The mood fell.

Tong Lin lifted his head and smiled at her. He concernedly asked, “Are you hungry?”

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“A little.” Gu Jin honestly replied, she hadn’t ate breakfast yet.

Tong Lin called the waiter over and handed the menu to her with a smile, “Ladies first.”

Gu Jin was surprised but didn’t reject. She smiled and took the menu. She didn’t know if Tong Lin had food he didn’t like and looking at the pictures, she chose a few that seemed alright.

After ordering, the two sat facing each other, neither speaking a word.

They once again fell silent. This time, facing Tong Lin, Gu Jin’s guilty feeling rose once again. Her heart thumped, if they kept staying quiet like this, she feared she would go crazy.

“Tong Lin, what do you think of the magazine?”

And so, while waiting for the dishes, the two began to discuss the magazine.

“You don’t need to worry about the funds,” Tong Lin raised his eyebrows and said, “A magazine doesn’t cost much money. If everyone just gives a bit, there should be enough. I can cover it if it’s not enough. The key is how to attract authors to us.”

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Indeed, even if they successfully started the magazine, since they have no fame at the beginning, there also wouldn’t be authors willing to submit. Just the few people from the literature circle that joined wouldn’t be nearly enough.