Chapter Sixteen: The Interview (Please Recommend and Save)

That afternoon, Zhenhua High School urgently hung a freshly printed banner above the school’s main gate.

“Congratulations to our Class of 2006 graduate Lu Xinghe for achieving the top score in the liberal arts section of the college entrance exam! A historic record-breaking score of 742 points!”

Upon returning to school, Xu Yanliang was utterly stunned when he saw the banner. Rubbing his eyes in disbelief, he double-checked the number and confirmed it was indeed 742 points—a staggering score that surpassed all expectations. His classmates had speculated that Lu Xinghe might become the top scorer, but no one had anticipated such an extraordinarily high mark. Eager to learn the detailed scores for each subject, Xu rushed to the office.

Inside the office, Zhang Ping felt overwhelmed by the flood of congratulatory visitors. His usually unobtrusive nature was ill-suited to this sudden attention. When he saw Xu Yanliang enter, it felt like a rescue. Zhang greeted the surrounding teachers and gestured for Xu to come over quickly.

“Teacher Zhang Ping, what are Lu Xinghe’s exact scores? I want to share this news in the class’s group chat,” Xu asked, his voice tinged with excitement.

“Chinese: 148, Math: 150, English: 149, Comprehensive Liberal Arts: 295, total 742. Those are the exact scores. Honestly, I couldn’t believe it when I first saw them—it’s just unbelievable!” Zhang said, though he had known the results for some time, they still left him in awe.

“I never imagined Lu Xinghe wasn’t just a bestselling author topping the charts—he’s also the top scorer in the college entrance exam!” Xu murmured admiringly.

“What? He writes books?” Zhang asked, puzzled.

“Teacher Zhang, didn’t Mr. Zhang Feng tell you? Lu Xinghe is the famous bestselling author known as Tomorrow, the very same who wrote ‘The Devotion of Suspect X’!” Xu was surprised that Zhang Ping, who was so close to Zhang Feng, hadn’t heard this before.

“What??? Lu Xinghe is Tomorrow??? Did I hear that right?” Zhang Ping exclaimed in disbelief, his voice echoing throughout the office, drawing the attention of all the teachers present.

“Yes, we found out at the last gathering. Didn’t Mr. Zhang Feng tell you? He’s known for a while. I thought you already knew,” Xu explained.

“No way! This kid is actually Tomorrow?”
“Exactly! It’s unbelievable—not only top marks, but also such a talent in writing!”
“Kids these days are incredible. When I was his age, I just focused on studying and nothing else.”
“Sigh! I suddenly feel so inadequate—at my age, all I’ve done is teach.”

The office buzzed with chatter. Teacher Yue quietly called Director Pan to share the news. Upon hearing it, Director Pan was so startled he dropped the phone, then became ecstatic. This would bring great fame to the school. If he leaked just a hint of this news to the media, reporters would swarm like sharks sensing blood. Dreaming of this, he chuckled foolishly, making his assistant Xiao Zhang wonder if he had lost his mind.

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After hearing that Zhenhua High School had produced another top liberal arts scorer, various media outlets began converging on the school. The most prominent was the reporter from Hei Province Satellite TV. Other well-known media had not sent reporters immediately; even Hei Province’s team only arrived swiftly because the score broke historical records—otherwise, they might have come later.

Hei Province Satellite TV sent a young correspondent named Liu Jihua. When he arrived at the school, he found himself the first on the scene. After passing through the gate under the guard’s guidance, he reached the academic affairs office and saw Director Pan still in a daze. Liu thought the director lacked composure—Zhenhua frequently produced top scorers, so he should be more accustomed.

“Director Pan, hello! I’m Liu Jihua, a correspondent from Hei Province Satellite TV. I have a few questions about your top scorer Lu Xinghe. Is this a good time?” Liu asked.

Snapping out of his daze, Director Pan replied, “Of course, please go ahead.”

“Could you tell me how Lu Xinghe usually performs at school?”

“Lu Xinghe consistently excels, holding the top rank in his grade year after year. His academic performance is outstanding, and he gets along very well with teachers and classmates,” Pan said proudly.

“What’s the secret to nurturing such a student here at Zhenhua?” the reporter asked perceptively.

“Producing top scorers is almost routine for us. We have strong faculty, a dedicated learning environment, and a proud history that motivates everyone,” Pan responded enthusiastically.

“Also, I hear Lu Xinghe has another notable identity?” The reporter probed further.

“Oh? Does this top scorer have some special distinction?” Liu inquired with curiosity.

“Besides being the top scorer, Lu Xinghe is also the renowned author known as Tomorrow!” Pan boasted.

Upon hearing this, Liu Jihua was instantly electrified. This was big news—he hadn’t expected to uncover such a scoop. After quickly obtaining Lu Xinghe’s home address and contact details, he wrapped up the interview.

Once out of the office, Liu immediately called his editor to relay the explosive news. The editor instructed him to keep things under wraps until they obtained firsthand information but promised a promotion and raise if he succeeded. Energized, Liu rushed to Lu Xinghe’s home.

The contact information provided by the school was actually for Lu Changzheng. When Liu arrived, he learned that Li Jie lived alone and asked Lu Changzheng to arrange an appointment. Li Jie was not surprised by the reporter’s request and agreed to the interview.

When Liu arrived at Li Jie’s residence, Li had already brewed tea, waiting. After brief introductions and pleasantries, Liu eagerly began the interview. His editor had called several times en route, urging him on. The news began spreading uncontrollably as more reporters arrived at Zhenhua.

“Lu Xinghe, congratulations on becoming Hei Province’s top scorer. How do you feel right now?” Liu asked first.

---

“A bit surprised, honestly. I didn’t expect my score to be so high,” Li Jie responded modestly.

“As the top scorer, many people admire you. Do you have any special study techniques?”

“Not really. I just manage my time well and perhaps study efficiently,” Li answered, reciting the usual lines found in top scorer interviews.

...

After several routine questions, Li thought the interview was nearly over, but Liu showed no sign of stopping. Finally, he asked, “Lu Xinghe, what would you like to say about your identity as a writer? Why did you create a novel like ‘The Devotion of Suspect X’?”

Li’s expression changed slightly. He thought the news had spread fast but decided to seize the opportunity to reveal his identity openly and continued the interview.

“As for my identity as a writer, I hadn’t planned to keep it secret for long. I hid it mainly because I was still in high school and didn’t want too much outside interference. The inspiration for that novel came from a thought I had while reading other novels a long time ago. It took me two years to polish the story you see now.”

“Your next novel, ‘The Little Shop of Solving Worries,’ was announced for serialization a while ago. How is that coming along?”

“It should start serializing next month. I hope fans will continue to support me.”

“Others might hesitate, but I definitely will. What does writing mean to you personally?” Liu pressed on.

“Writing is a way to express myself. I hope readers can take something meaningful from my work. If they do, I will have no regrets.”

...

When the interview ended, Liu left with a satisfied smile. Li Jie looked after him, then glanced at his phone, which was flooded with missed calls. He called Lu Changzheng and learned about the large number of reporters headed his way. Feeling uneasy, Li quickly tidied up and left his home.