Chapter 119: Agreed

He observed that magazine publishers were currently struggling, with even popular titles suffering from poor sales due to various factors. The root cause was their rigid frameworks and a lack of truly compelling content.

Currently, the market was flooded with martial arts novels from Pearl Harbor, which further diluted the appeal of literary magazines. These novels were repetitive, formulaic, and derivative, catering only to a niche audience.

"Where did you get so much money? And do your brother and sister-in-law know about this?" Wang Mengzi asked, her expression turning serious as she pulled Zhang Ye to his feet.

"They don't know yet." Zhang Ye became earnest as well. Looking into her eyes, he recounted everything he had been through, hiding nothing except for the truth about his rebirth. He had never intended to keep secrets from her; the timing had simply never been right before, but now, there was no reason for concealment.

At first, Wang Mengzi managed to remain composed. She felt a flicker of tension upon hearing that Zhang Ye was the boy who had acted heroically to save hostages from criminals, but she wasn't entirely surprised; he had always been physically fit, and she knew he exercised every morning. However, when she heard about him using the twenty-thousand-yuan reward from the police to sell watermelons, purchase computers for an internet cafe, advise his family on opening a clothing store, help his uncle’s family resolve a crisis, and now, earn money through his art to start a magazine, she was stunned.

She never imagined that the boy she once viewed as merely a bit mischievous, cute, shy, bossy, and growing up had achieved so much in silence.

"Trust me. Come help me, and I’ll make you the editor-in-chief," Zhang Ye said, gripping her shoulders firmly.

"I... I need to think about it." Wang Mengzi felt dazed; the sudden, dazzling transformation of Zhang Ye left her feeling lightheaded.

She was certainly not in need of money. Her recently published workplace novel had sold over a million copies, and her royalties alone made her a genuine millionaire, even if the funds hadn't hit her account yet. Furthermore, a film production company had contacted her, expressing interest in adapting the novel into a television series, which promised another substantial income. She could easily do nothing, live off her savings, and enjoy a life of ease.

Yet, Zhang Ye’s words moved her. While a magazine was different from a publishing house or the newspaper office where she had previously worked, it was still a related industry. Despite her claims of indifference after being abruptly fired, a part of her still harbored deep resentment. When she first started her career, she had aspired to climb the ranks to editor, editor-in-chief, or even publisher. Now, faced with an opportunity to leap to the top—though she could achieve that easily if she truly wanted to—she didn't want to walk away.

Moreover, this was Zhang Ye’s project. Even if she didn't want to do it, the fact that it was him made her take it seriously.

"I’m afraid I won’t be able to do it well. Besides, isn't it quite hard for magazines to turn a profit? Look at all the ones out there—aren't they all barely scraping by?" Her words signaled that she was interested, merely held back by practical concerns.

Zhang Ye was overjoyed. "Don't worry. My magazine will be different. We will focus on fiction, and we will strive for such exquisite production quality that every reader will be captivated. They will see it and want to buy it, buy it and want to buy it again. If they have no money, they will beg their parents; if they have money, they will clamor for shopkeepers to stock it, and then show it off proudly in their social circles, attracting even more readers."

"You're full of nonsense," Wang Mengzi teased with a smile, though she cautiously voiced her next concern: "Have you considered where the content will come from? If a new magazine uses the same old material, it won't be attractive even with reforms."

"No need to worry about that either. What did you think of the novel I wrote? I have another manuscript at home that's already twenty thousand words in. Since there's still some time before we launch, I can produce another novel with enough originality. Besides, if I run out of copy, I have you, don't I? I’m sure you won't refuse to help me, Auntie Wang. With your status as a renowned author and the recent success of your book, your influence is significant," Zhang Ye said with a cheeky grin.

"You've got me all figured out, haven't you?" Wang Mengzi rolled her eyes but wasn't angry. She was already beginning to think like an editor-in-chief. "As for your novel, the premise is good, but the writing style is still open to question."

"The magazine I’m founding isn't about literary polish. Fiction is primarily about telling a story. If the story is engaging and fun, even if the prose is a bit lacking, it will still captivate readers. I’m planning to build a world of pure fantasy." Zhang Ye had long realized that securing content would be the biggest hurdle in the early stages.

He didn't care for traditional literature. While some of it had depth and excellent prose, it was often self-indulgent and catered to a tiny elite. In the vast national market, nothing captivated the youth more than pure, imaginative fantasy. Fiction was just storytelling; if the story was brilliant, the prose was merely an ornament. Conversely, if the story was mediocre, no amount of flowery language could mask its emptiness.

"As for the business plan," Zhang Ye paused before continuing, "it’s simple: first, launch a regional periodical and produce a pilot issue that captures attention. Then, distribute the first one or two issues for free to build a reputation before moving into the commercial phase. After all, 1.2 million yuan sounds like a lot, but it drains quickly. I have better plans, but I can't implement them yet... Ultimately, the priority is to get our name out there."

Zhang Ye was confident in this. Though his plan was conventional, it was absolutely viable.

"I understand. Very well then. As it happens, I thought of a theme while I was traveling—it leans toward fantasy. Once I write it out, we can feature it in the pilot issue." Wang Mengzi had long been swayed by Zhang Ye's passion; sensing that this wasn't just a whim, she made her decision on the spot.

For all intents and purposes, this was her agreement to become the editor-in-chief of the new magazine.