Chapter 623 - Web Comic Volume (23): Sister Ran Invited the Editor to Hot Pot

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

At the same time.

At Mu Zongyuan’s cemetery.

Old Master Mu and the others arrived at 10 o’clock.

Mu Zongxi and the other main members of the Mu family were present, except Mu Zining.

“Zining went to discuss an important matter today.” Mu Zongyuan explained to Old Master Mu. “She won’t be able to make it back in time.”

Mu Zining had always been busy, so Old Master Mu wasn’t surprised. He nodded. “It’s fine.”

Turning, he was ready to go when he saw Mu Nan standing on the side of the road, standing tall and looking in the direction of the intersection on the left.

“Xiao Nan?” Old Master Mu paused for a moment and asked gently, “Why aren’t you going up?”

He thought Mu Nan was timid and didn’t dare to go up.

“I’m waiting for my mom.” At the mention of Ning Wei, Mu Nan’s expression improved a lot. He looked down at the time on his phone. “She’ll be here soon, I’ll wait two more minutes.”

“Your mom?” Butler Mu was shocked. “How is your mom coming?”

The other Mu family members all felt strange as well.

With the summit nearing, flight restrictions were strict. Last night, they had heard Mu Nan’s call with his mom and knew that she had been in Beijing at the time.

After Mu Nan left, Old Master Mu had also focused on Ning Wei’s affairs.

In the past two days, the Mu family became increasingly afraid of looking down on Mu Nan, since they all remembered Ning Wei’s affairs.

Why was she arriving so soon?

“A ticket just happened to be available,” Mu Nan paused for a while and then casually spoke. As he was talking, a commercial car drove over slowly. “She’s here.”

Only when they saw Ning Wei coming out of the car did they dare to believe it.

It was just that they were still doubtful.

Only a few members of the Mu family knew Ning Wei. After meeting more than 10 years later, they didn’t quite know what to say to her.

Old Master Mu noticed that Ning Wei’s legs had gotten better. He greeted her and then walked up the steps solemnly.

Only the chief planner of the Mu family glanced at the car that Ning Wei had arrived in.

“What is it?” asked someone next to him.

The chief planner paused for a moment and said hesitantly, “Doesn’t that car look like the Liu family’s?”

The license plates of the big families in Beijing had specific area codes.

The Liu family’s license plate was quite arrogant and easy to remember.

“Yeah, now that you mention it.” The person paused and squinted at the car. “The first four consecutive numbers are the same...”

The two exchanged glances, thinking how Ning Wei had been in Beijing last night and had managed to come to Shanghai in one night under the summit’s strict circumstances. They exchanged shocked glances...

...

After leaving the Liu family’s house, Qin Ran didn’t return to Gu Xichi’s place.

She went inside a dessert shop not far away instead.

She had never liked sweet food and was addicted to spicy food. However, she was recently hooked on desserts.

Cheng Juan was just two blocks away from here. The street wasn’t sealed off, but the street next door was completely sealed off.

Qin Ran held a spoon with one hand and her phone with the other.

Her phone showed a message from Yan Xi—

[Great God, I have time tomorrow. Do you want to eat hotpot together? I can show you my new song.]

At the mention of hotpot, Qin Ran frowned.

But she didn’t reject him and replied with an “OK”.

Sitting opposite her wearing gold-rimmed glasses, Minister Qin handed her a document. “Miss, this is the contract I’ll be signing with Pinnacle Studios in the afternoon. Take a look.”

The contract with Pinnacle Studios was mainly overseen by Qin Ran, and after signing the contract, Lu Zhixin asked the middle-aged man to let her witness it with her own eyes.

Taking a bite of cake, Qin Ran put down her phone and reached out to accept the contract.

The Qin family’s contract had always been professional and was very similar to what Qin Ran described, other than a clause that she hadn’t noticed before. “Only one internal test quota?”

Qin Ran paused slightly when she saw this clause.

“The Sixth Master requested for this.” Minister Qin glanced at her. “Miss, have you been drawing recently?”

“Yes.” Qin Ran nodded without an ounce of guilt.

Minister Qin nodded, somewhat understanding why Lu Zhixin was at his wit’s end with her.

So many people in the company’s programming department had come for the God but had never had the chance to see her.

No wonder Lu Zhixin didn’t like talking to those people.

Otherwise, what if they asked where the God had gone in the middle of their chat? What could Lu Zhixin possibly say? That Qin Ran won’t be going to the laboratory and had run off to draw again??

“By the way, this is the trial contract for the comic book. You can sign it first.” Minister Qin took out another contract and handed a pen to her. “News of the Qin and Mo families’ cooperation will probably be released in the afternoon.”

Qin Ran read through the contract and signed her name.

There were two copies.

“I’m going to bring these two contracts to Pinnacle Studios. Once he has stamped his signature, I’ll hand you the other copy. I’ll contact you again tomorrow.” Minister Qin put away the contracts and bid her farewell.

After getting out and getting into the car, he called Lu Zhixin.

He reported to him about Qin Ran’s state today.

...

Pinnacle Studios.

Mo Zhihuai was in the office, asking people to check on Editor Shen.

There were few secrets in the company, but one day, Mo Zhihuai had found out about the grievances between Editor Liu and Editor Shen.

Standing beside him, his secretary reported, “The two of them have personal grievances. Editor Liu has wide connections, so the development will actually be better if we hand Magic Lamp to him. As for Editor Shen... he automatically applied for a transfer and will be leaving tomorrow.”

He was demoted from chief editor to an assistant.

“Okay.” After listening, Mo Zhihuai’s Adam’s apple rolled, and he waved his secretary out.

When there was no one left in the office, he took out his phone and opened Magic Lamp’s avatar on his friend page.

He was speechless for a long while.

He couldn’t do anything regarding Editor Shen’s affairs. He didn’t know what personal grievances the two editors had, but Editor Shen had even submitted the transfer request himself.

Mo Zhihuai wasn’t surprised by this kind of transfer.

He couldn’t intervene easily, either.

After a long while, he took out his phone and sent a message to Qin Ran.

Then, he stood in his office, thinking silently for a long while, until someone knocked on the door and said that the Qin family was here.

“The Qin family?” Returning to his senses, Mo Zhihuai adjusted his suit. “Take me there.”

Since the Qin family was based in Beijing, the Mo family didn’t have much contact with them. However, the Qin family’s reputation had been rising recently, and there had even been rumors in the circle that the four major families in Beijing more or less had economic lifelines in Continent M.

When the Qin family came to him for cooperation, Mo Zhihuai had been in disbelief.

After all, even the Mo family hadn’t obtained the Qin family’s cooperation case.

It wasn’t until Minister Qin called him that he really believed it.

He took the elevator down and happened to bump into Minister Qin in the corridor.

“Minister Qin.” Mo Zhihuai wore a black suit, looking tall, handsome, and gentle. He greeted Minister Qin very politely.

Minister Qin’s expression was different from when he was complaining to Qin Ran just now, and his expression was very majestic at the moment. He nodded solemnly to Mo Zhihuai in greeting.

They entered the conference room to discuss cooperation.

At the editorial department, Mu Zining returned with Editor Liu and witnessed this scene.

They couldn’t help but exchange glances.

They didn’t recognize Minister Qin.

“Who was that just now? It’s the first time I saw Young Master Mo showing someone so much respect.”

“I don’t know, I think his surname is Qin. Does Shanghai have such a family?”

“Have you guys forgotten the rumors inside the company? It’s an impressive family in Beijing who wants to cooperate with us...”

“...”

They continued gossiping.

A male author next to Mu Zining smiled and glanced at her. “It’s probably because of the internal quota test. Young Master Mo’s comics have been adapted into movies and television shows, and big celebrities are even acting in them. He’s definitely interested in this because of you.”

“Not necessarily.” Mu Zining smiled and said casually, “The company has many other outstanding authors, like Magic Lamp.”

“No, she can’t.” Recently, there had been many rumors about Magic Lamp in the company. “She doesn’t have many works under her. Zining, I congratulate you in advance for cooperating with one of Beijing’s big families. Are you still afraid that no film and television company will find you?”

The Qin family’s promotions were no small thing.

The cooperation between the two companies wasn’t so simple. One was the best family in Shanghai, and the other was an impressive family even more powerful than the Mo family.

The cooperation between these two families was enough to shake the industry.

Mu Zining smiled and said nothing.

Not far away, Editor Shen also heard this sentence. He paused and remained silent. Magic Lamp was indeed inferior to Mu Zining, so it wouldn’t be surprising if this promotion was given to Mu Zining.

Fourth Young Master Liu had always been the scornful type. He glanced at Mu Zining and said, “Let’s ask the Third Young Master later.”

While talking, he glanced at his phone.

He read the WeChat message he just received and his face instantly went dark.

“What’s wrong?” Mu Zining noticed the change in his expression.

Without answering to her, he walked up to Editor Shen and sneered. “Editor Shen, you’re really impressive!”

Upon hearing this, Editor Shen turned to face him and frowned. “Editor Liu, what are you implying? Don’t beat about the bush.”

“You’ve only been paying lip service, really impressive.” Editor Liu stared at him with sharp eyes. “You want to continue snatching my people? Okay, I’ll watch how you send them to the top. Editor Shen, I’m waiting for you!”

Without so much as an explanation, he turned around and directly entered his office.

Mu Zining glanced at the two, raised an eyebrow, and followed him.

Editor Liu’s expression was vile when he entered the office.

Although he was the Liu family’s illegitimate child, he was still considered a small overlord in Shanghai because the family recognized him. He was aware of what kind of person could be provoked.

When he first started out as an editor, the Liu family had been in power. Hence, he had survived in the cracks without causing much trouble.

Now that the Liu family had stabilized and Liu Xiao didn’t care much about him, he had moved daringly against Editor Shen. However, no one dared to say anything.

He had a list of who couldn’t be provoked in Shanghai, and Editor Shen was obviously no longer on the list.

“What’s the matter, why are you so angry?” Mu Zining looked at him and sat down on a chair.

Fourth Master Liu bit a cigarette with obscure eyebrows. “Those two people are blind.”

...

Outside the editorial department, Assistant Cao came over on high heels.

“What on earth happened?” Editor Shen looked at her anxiously.

“Your Magic Lamp.” Assistant Cao looked complicatedly at him. “I heard from someone in Editor Liu’s department that she personally told Editor Liu that she wants to follow you. When else has Editor Liu lost face like this?”

“What?” Upon hearing this, Editor Shen stood up directly and paced about in his office. His thoughts were complicated, and he was actually rather touched. “This Magic Lamp...” he whispered.

“She really loves you.” Assistant Cao paused. “Are you touched?”

After thinking about it, she asked again, “Erm... How old is she?”

“What nonsense are you thinking about?” Editor Shen glanced at her and frowned.

Nodding, Assistant Cao suppressed her inner thoughts. “Let’s talk about it next time.” She straightened her expression and lowered her voice. “I heard from Editor Liu that Mu Zining called him Fourth Master in private before.”

“In Shanghai, you know what kind of person you have to be for Mu Zining to address you as Fourth Master?”

Editor Shen suddenly looked up.

He knew about Editor Liu’s background, so he had given Magic Lamp to him previously. However, he didn’t expect things to become complicated.

Fourth Master Liu.

In Shanghai, the word “Liu” alone was enough to crush a person.

He directly dialed Magic Lamp’s WeChat.

Magic Lamp seemed to be eating at the moment. Editor Shen heard the familiar lazy and casual male voice beside her, but he didn’t care about that anymore and said directly, “Magic Lamp, what did you say to Editor Liu? You’re simply messing around!”

On the other end, Qin Ran responded nonchalantly, “Your three-dimensional matter is to move to the branch?”

“I’m asking you about Editor Liu.” After feeling touched, Editor Shen now felt desperate. “Do you know how he is...”

“Editor Shen, are you free tomorrow?” Qin Ran directly interrupted his long theory.

Editor Shen paused, his reins having always been held in Magic Lamp’s hands. “Yes.”

“Shall we eat hotpot together?” Qin Ran reached out and took the milk tea from Cheng Juan.