Qiu Wuji really did look like she meant to learn how to write. Chu Ge had been about to say that she could make a mint just selling her calligraphy and paintings, but he let it drop.
Everyone's got their own path. Qiu Wuji clearly wanted to learn how to "create a world"—not simply to make money, and not purely to learn writing, either.
Otherwise, given how much she now understood about this world, she had no shortage of ways to earn money.
If she truly wanted to write a book, she didn't need to learn how to make up stories; she only had to set down the jianghu events she'd lived through as an autobiography, or relate the amusing tales she knew about other people. Even with no literary technique at all, it would probably be quite entertaining—and it could double as a prequel or a side story to Chu Tian Wu Ji. How nice would that be?
But that would still just be filling in the stories of that world. Qiu Wuji's ambition was plainly to create her own world, not to be a supplement to his.
Unfortunately, Chu Ge figured that with the way Qiu Wuji's mind worked, making up her own stories would be pretty tough.
She just wasn't the story-making type!
Still, Chu Ge was willing to give her a hand. He thought about it: he knew how to write, but his teaching skills were probably a bit lacking—he'd never been a teacher. Not like Qiu Wuji, who regularly instructed her disciples and could teach a person to cultivate with practiced ease.
Looks like I'd better find her some teaching materials?
Zhang Qiren had collected piles of them back in the day, but Chu Ge had never looked at any of it; he'd always felt this sort of thing couldn't really be taught... but judging by how much Zhang Qiren had improved back then, it did help. Should I ask Zhang Qiren for a set to have a look... I wonder if he's deleted that stuff by now?
He tried sending Zhang Qiren a message. No reply—probably busy, not online.
Chu Ge stared into space a moment, then went into the "Flop Authors' Driving Group" to learn from the group's big shots.
"Writing a book?" the big shots replied. "Isn't that just a matter of having hands?"
Chu Ge: "Mmhm."
"Open Word and just go at it. Thinking too much is useless."
Chu Ge: "Mmhm, mmhm."
"Writing's actually inversely correlated with looks, you know. A handsome guy like me, I flop. Sigh, it's not something you can beg for—what's the use of studying it..."
The group surged: "No wonder! I lost average subscriptions yesterday—so it's because I got more handsome."
"No wonder I couldn't make Platinum this year. My good looks were holding me back."
Chu Ge: "Thanks, everyone, for certifying me as the best-looking guy in the group."
The group went quiet for a moment. A few seconds later someone posted a screenshot: "Big shot with ten-thousand-plus subscriptions, what are you even saying? Plenty of people here haven't hit that. You're definitely in the ugly half."
Chu Ge rubbed his eyes. That was the ten-thousand-plus-subscription badge, and the title shown in the screenshot was Chu Tian Wu Ji.
Ten-thousand-plus subscriptions? Since when?
"Don't tell me you didn't know?" someone said in amazement. "You're really something, you know that? You have to hear about your own numbers from other people. What do you do all day? Oh, right—you came in asking about writing lessons. Don't tell me you're trying to pick up some female disciple?"
No wonder the man's a big shot—what a sharp guess.
Chu Ge put on a righteous face: "Do I look like that kind of person? I just want to recharge a little—learn and improve!"
"That stuff's useless. Open Word and just go!"
Great. Right back where we started.
Just then Zhang Qiren's avatar started beeping. Chu Ge clicked it open: the other end had sent a link. "I've deleted the stuff I collected before. This is a compilation of the best writing tips from the Moukong forum—somewhat useful. But I think you'd better not read it. You've got your own style and your own path; don't let it lead you astray while you read."
Chu Ge sighed with feeling: "Thanks, brother."
"Ha..." Zhang Qiren sent a laughing emoji. "I'm busy, no time to chat."
Chu Ge still couldn't help asking: "Lately..."
"Your classmate's been watching me close. I did him a favor and he still treats me like a BOSS to beat. He's been swamped lately, though, so things are a lot easier for me and I can do a bit of other work... hey, let's not talk about this. Bye~"
Chu Ge mused that when they'd discussed Zhang Qiren hitting several birds with one stone, they might have missed one—getting Lin Wuyang tangled up in all sorts of follow-up cleanup, with no time to watch him, which made things very convenient.
I wonder what's become of that Wang family young master they hauled in... Back then Lin Wuyang had swallowed his words, clearly wanting to ask him for some help, but almost a week had passed and he still hadn't gotten in touch.
Chu Ge shook his head and put the troublesome thoughts aside. He turned and forwarded the link to Qiu Wuji: "Good stuff. Give it a look."
Qiu Wuji reflexively assumed he was sending smut, but she clicked in and was quite pleased: "What a filial disciple."
"Who's whose disciple here, hey!" Chu Ge said angrily. "In this at least, I'm the master!"
"Fine, fine—Master~"
Chu Ge: "..."
Qiu Wuji ignored him and went off happily to read the link.
Once she opened it, her eyes turned to spirals again.
Why are there so many more links inside this link...
Never mind how many there were—any Daoist scripture Sect Master Qiu casually opened had far more than this.
But when she clicked a few links open at random, some of the advice flatly contradicted the rest. Take outlines: some said you absolutely had to make one, even a detailed one; others said don't let the thing constrain your thinking.
So whose word am I supposed to take?
Creating a world really is hard... Qiu Wuji thought it over and decided not to read any of it. Anyway, none of these people had created a world either, had they?
Better to just open a document and write!
Qiu Wuji began to write her book.
First thing the next morning, Chu Ge brushed his teeth and sidled past with a sidelong glance, then sidled past again from a different angle.
Qiu Wuji sat in front of the computer, staring stony-faced at a document three lines long, and said through gritted teeth: "Walk past me one more time and I'll throw you off the building!"
"No, no—that protagonist name's great. Just calling him 'Protagonist.'"
"So what if I can't think of a name right now? I'll list the plot first and think of a name later!"
Chu Ge batted his eyes: "How about the surname Chu? It's an elegant surname—a big name in novels, mostly for protagonists."
"I don't see you being so elegant, Chu Ge."
"Mine doesn't count, but there are plenty of good ones—Chu Liuxiang and the like."
Qiu Wuji hesitated. Chu Liuxiang really did sound quite nice, though it had a bit of the playboy rake about it. Actually, even a name like Chu Tiange was very good... It seemed this surname really was a protagonist's surname.
She asked hesitantly: "The surname Chu seems fine, I suppose—I'll consider it doing you credit... What about the name? Do you have any good ideas?"
Chu Ge hid a smile: "What do you think? It's your book—your opinion comes first."
Qiu Wuji sank into thought.
Chu Ge went back to the bathroom, brushing his teeth.
Take your time. Our kid's name is going to come out of this... mm, now where were we buying that place in the good school district...
He was still dreaming when his phone rang.
Chu Ge picked up. Zhong Yi's voice came through: "That identity's been sorted out. Do you want her registered separately, or attached under your household registration?"
Chu Ge jolted and nearly jumped out of his skin. "Attach her to mine—on what relation? Can you do it if she's not a relative?"
"As long as the head of household agrees and provides written proof, a registration can be attached. It's not encouraged—it tends to cause disputes, so normally it can't be done. But if you want it... mm, just say she's a distant relative and it'll be fine..."
"Attach it! We're attaching it!" Chu Ge dug out his own household register—one single lonely page—and was overjoyed. "That makes us people on the same register! Just say... a distant cousin!"
Great. Another BUFF stacked.
Zhong Yi seemed to have guessed what he'd say, and he wasn't surprised in the least—it would be strange if Third Brother and Sixth Brother weren't on the same register.
"All right, then bring your own documents over..."
The momentous news that her identity was settled roused Qiu Wuji from her agonizing over a protagonist's name. She shot out of the room in a flash, tidied her appearance properly in the mirror, and hopped onto Chu Ge's electric scooter, heading straight for the police station.
"I never imagined getting papers for someone with no papers would be more efficient than Dianniang drawing an avatar," Qiu Wuji marveled. "That's the gap for you..."
Chu Ge's mouth twitched. He didn't answer.
He was a little lost in thought himself. Someone who'd run out of a book was actually about to have an identity.
Her stay this time had been very long—a whole week already—as if she would never go back.
Day after day, she was becoming more and more real.
I wonder what identity Zhong Yi has arranged for her.