Chapter 352 : Ah, I’m Exhausted!
"Ah, I’m exhausted."
As soon as Ling Ning got home, she carelessly kicked off her high heels, letting them fly to the side, and collapsed onto the sofa, unwilling to move.
Yes, she had already been back from the seaside for a few days. Ever since that night, it had been raining continuously over there, making it impossible to go out and have fun. Instead of staying cooped up in the villa doing nothing, it was far more comfortable to return home and relax.
Besides, her overly affectionate childhood friend had a car, so they had cut their vacation short and come back.
Coincidentally, on the night of her return, Qin Qing had called her to announce the start of work. Since then, Ling Ning had been busy working at the company for several consecutive days.
It was a whirlwind of wearing various outfits and posing for countless photos. Even someone like Ling Ning, with her resilience, was starting to feel the wear and tear.
In addition to her company duties, she had been approached by numerous magazine publishers for photoshoots. Her schedule for this period was packed to the brim. Today alone, she had been to several locations.
Though it was exhausting, the thought of earning money immediately revitalized Ling Ning. As long as there was cash involved, she could endure any hardship.
"Mom, are you okay?"
Ling Ye, who had been writing in her room, heard the door open and came out to find her mom sprawled on the sofa, looking utterly drained, as if she’d been completely worn out.
"I’m fine, but I don’t think I can cook dinner tonight. How about we order takeout?"
Ling Ning confessed that she was too spent to even think about cooking. Besides, she hadn’t stopped to buy groceries on her way back, so making dinner wasn’t an option anyway.
"That’s fine~"
As long as she could eat with her mom, even the simplest meal felt like a grand feast to her.
Reassured by her daughter’s response, Ling Ning picked up her phone and opened the food delivery app. She ordered two of their regular meals and was about to close her eyes for a moment when she suddenly remembered that she hadn’t updated her novel today.
Just as she was about to get up and retrieve her laptop from her room, she saw her daughter already walking over with it, thoughtfully plugging in the power cable as well. Was this what people called a mother-daughter connection?
"Ye Ye is so considerate~"
"Hehe~"
After turning on her laptop, Ling Ning first checked her stockpile of drafts. It was in decent shape, thanks to a full day of writing during the rainy spell at the seaside villa. She’d managed to replenish the dwindling reserves.
She silently opened the author’s backend system and uploaded today’s update. With a sigh of relief, she was just about to relax when her phone began to buzz on the table.
Looking at the vibrating phone, Ling Ning had zero desire to pick it up. But when she saw the caller ID labeled “Editor,” a jolt ran through her body, and her previously lifeless expression instantly turned tense.
This was a conditioned reflex from her previous life. Every time the editor called to rush her for drafts, it would give her an inexplicable sense of anxiety. Even after transmigrating to this world, she hadn’t been able to shake the habit.
Why was Xiao Xiao calling her now?
With a mix of curiosity and apprehension, Ling Ning answered the call.
"Hello, is this Teacher Ling… Ling Ning? This is Xiao Xiao."
Hearing that familiar voice, Ling Ning couldn’t help but reminisce about the days when Xiao Xiao used to badger her for drafts. A faint smile appeared on her lips. "Editor, what can a washed-up writer like me do for you?"
"If you’re a washed-up writer, then a lot of authors are going to cry," Xiao Xiao thought, silently rolling her eyes at the self-deprecating comment.
Collecting herself, Xiao Xiao spoke seriously. "I’m calling to let you know that your book will officially go on sale in major bookstores starting tomorrow."
"Oh."
Hearing the news, Ling Ning froze for a moment. She hadn’t been paying much attention to these things lately, so she was a bit surprised by how soon this was happening.
"By the way, is something going on with you lately? It feels like your updates haven’t been as frequent as before," Xiao Xiao asked curiously.
"Well, some things have come up recently, so I’ve only been able to maintain the minimum updates. Once this period is over, I should be able to pick up the pace again… I think."
"I think…" Xiao Xiao muttered to herself, a bad feeling creeping in.
"By the way, I’ve prepared the outline and opening chapters for a new book. Do you want to take a look?"
"Eh!?"
Hearing this, Xiao Xiao was stunned. Ling Ning’s current book was performing exceptionally well. The best course of action would have been to focus on it entirely. Starting a new book now would inevitably compromise the quality of both.
"Are you planning to work on two books at the same time?"
"Yup. I’ve been feeling really inspired for this new one, so I wanted to give it a try," Ling Ning replied with a light chuckle. She had been developing this new book idea since her previous life and was quite confident about it.
"Alright… send me the outline and opening chapters first. But I still think you should avoid juggling two books at once," Xiao Xiao sighed.
"Don’t worry, leave it to me! I’ll send you the draft shortly."
After hanging up, Xiao Xiao sighed once more. "Why did it come to this? Oh well, I’ll review the draft and see how it goes."
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"Mom, are you planning to write a new book? What kind of story is it?" Ling Ye, who had been listening intently, asked with surprise.
Ling Ning flashed her daughter a mischievous smile. "Hmm… that’s a secret for now."
"Eh!? That’s not fair!"
Just as Ling Ye was about to pounce on her mom for answers, the doorbell rang, signaling the arrival of their takeout.
"Tch."
Ling Ye clicked her tongue in dissatisfaction. Couldn’t the delivery person have come a bit later? At least let her tease her mom a little first!
Opening the food containers, they found a decent spread. While it wasn’t as good as homemade food, it was acceptable.
"Hey, Ye Ye, let’s go to the bookstore together tomorrow, okay?"
"Sure~"
Even if her mom hadn’t suggested it, Ling Ye had already been planning to visit the bookstore to see how things went.
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Author’s Note:
Your lazy fish of an author couldn’t write a single new chapter today, so I’m dipping into my stockpile again~