Chapter 314: Chapter 293 – Reflecting Reality_1


    Shen Jiarui has read many stories and written many stories. If you talk about clever designs, literary metaphors, and satires of reality, Shen Jiarui thinks that this “A Bowl of Spring Noodles” is overly simple, it’s unworthy of Chu Kuang’s esteemed reputation!


    But strangely also here…


    This clearly simplistic story, full of ‘chicken soup for the soul’ vibes, has made Shen Jiarui cry unexpectedly. He hadn’t anticipated this, even forgetting during the reading process that this was part of apetition.


    Why did this happen?


    Shen Jiarui doesn’t think that it’s the simple warmth that moved him, as he has read thousands of simr stories, even to the point that he is reluctant to write such stories. This novel must have something unique.


    Shen Jiarui scrolled through thements.


    Shen Jiarui won’t be the first reader of “A Bowl of Spring Noodles”, nor will he be thest. At this point, many people have finished reading this story, so thements section is quite lively.


    “Feels pretty average.”


    “Chu Kuang is below standard.”


    “‘Chicken soup for the soul’ style melodrama.”<div>


    These were some of the negativements Shen Jiarui saw, which should have made him ecstatic, but instead, he didn’t feel the joy he had expected. He felt a kind of indescribable heaviness. Shortly after, Shen Jiarui saw a trendingment: “As a business, a few bowls of noodles are nothing. But the human care, trust, and support moved people. Economically, it doesn’t make sense for the mother and her two children to show up, butforting the desperate and warming those in need are valuable aspects of a society.”


    Shen Jiarui suddenly felt a little enlightened.


    Indeed, people aren’t just living to eat, but there is something very powerful in this world that seems useless but can create greater value in the future. This is the meaning of this story.


    This trendingment got many likes.


    It’s imaginable that for Chu Kuang, the reviews for this short story must be prized. Some people will find the story melodramatic and feel that Chu Kuang’stest writing doesn’t meet the standard,cking the amazing plot twist that used to be in his works.


    But many others will agree with it.


    Thetter group is likely those who have experienced kindness from strangers, in gestures or even just a nce. But their power is no less than the simple phrase “A Bowl of Spring Noodles” in the story.


    Let’s look at the ranking again.


    My short story is called “The Killer”, a detective thriller type story with an ending readers could never have imagined: the final killer is a brown horse. It’s currently ranked first in the March short stories, receiving very good reviews, while Chu Kuang, who was highly rated by many people, is in second ce. It seems not everyone bought into histest work.


    “My rank is pretty good…”


    It would be hypocritical to say Shen Jiarui is not at all pleased. After all, securing first ce would earn him quite a sum. However, inside, he felt that Chu Kuang’stest short story was quite powerful but not suitable for ranking-orientedpetitions like this.


    If described with music:


    It’s like I used rock.


    But he sang a sentimental bad.


    The former can ignite the atmosphere on stage while thetter is heartfelt. Being heartfelt is not suitable forpetition. So, assuming there aren’t any surprises, it looks like I might keep this first-ce rank until the end?@@novelbin@@


    …


    Chu Kuang hasn’t written a short story in quite a long time. Naturally, histest release published in Tribe Literature in March has attracted attention from the industry. But when they saw the novel was ranked second, many were taken aback:


    “It’s only second?”


    “Is this an upset?”<div>


    “Shen Jiarui is something.”


    “Chu Kuang’sst story was even able topete with one of the Big Three in Qin Province. I didn’t expect this new one would only rank second, especially without any strongpetitors this time. Shen Jiarui couldn’t pose much of a threat to Chu Kuang.”


    “This indeed is an upset.”


    “I’ve read both stories. Shen Jiarui’s story is superb while Chu Kuang seems to have made some adjustments to his personal style. Those changes seemed not very sessful. One progressed, and one regressed, hence the result.”<div>


    …


    Since his debut, Chu Kuang has been invincible!


    Even when people were doubting him, Chu Kuang was capable of creating miracles, turning the tide!


    But unexpectedly, when people had high hopes for him this time, Chu Kuang messed up!


    This created a lot of controversy in the industry.


    And because of Chu Kuang’s defeat…


    The controversy has started to escte, even leading to somements iming a decline in Chu Kuang’s writing level. Some people spoke as if they had insider knowledge:


    “If Chu Kuang is not running out of new stories, why hasn’t he published a new short story for such a long time?”


    Some people thought about it, and it made sense.


    Chu Kuang used to publish short stories frequently before. With just four of his works, he secured his position in the short story arena.


    However, after those four works, it took him so long to publish his fifth one…


    Why?


    People didn’ think too much about it before, but now they feel that it’s very likely because Chu Kuang can’te up with new good stories, that’s why he hasn’t published any new short story.<div>


    Even if his ranking decreased, he didn’t take any measures in time.


    If that were not the case, why did his new short story “A Bowl of Spring Noodles” that was published after such a long time failed to take off, and didn’t even manage to beat Shen Jiarui, a short story writer much lower in the ranks?


    Logically, after not having published any new short story for such a long time, shouldn’t he have been brewing a staggering masterpiece that would blow everyone’s mind?


    The new short story he took so long to produce… Is this it?


    “Has he run out of creativity?”


    Some voices spected.


    Indeed, some extraordinarily brilliant writers during their peak period gradually became ordinary after publishing several astonishing works. But nobody thought that this would happen to Chu Kuang, especially after he had justpleted a highly popr long novel.


    Nevertheless, there were also many voices refuting this im.


    “There are always some people with ulterior motives, who scrutinize every move of writers like Chu Kuang with a magnifying ss, and seize on any minor mistake. Just because Chu Kuang came in second, they couldn’t wait to jump out…”


    Turns out this was the mainstream voice.


    The public was mostly willing to give people like “Chu Kuang” some space.


    The use of “them” here is due to the simr rhythms seen online over and over.


    Rival peers have never been too amicable in the literary circle and the traditions of this circle are filled with arrogance and disdain among writers. It is a particrly high-pressure zone, full of infighting.<div>


    So over the years, whenever a writer’s performance failed to meet a perfect standard, they received simr treatment.


    Such a phenomenon, in the eyes of some literati, had be a cancer.


    They aimed not just at Chu Kuang, but at everyone who achieved sess, but couldn’t maintain a perfect performance afterward.


    What nobody expected, though, was…


    While the outside world was debating whether the quality of Chu Kuang’stest short story had declined, the ranking of “A Bowl of Spring Noodles” unexpectedly, and unexinably surged to the top at 9 a.m. the next day!


    Everyone watched in real-time as the votes for “A Bowl of Spring Noodles” continuously soared!


    And by two o’clock in the afternoon, “A Bowl of Spring Noodles” had already imed the champion’s throne!


    “What the hell is going on?”


    Vote maniption is strictly forbidden on Blue Star; the tform has zero tolerance for such actions!


    Whoever dares to manipte votes will instantly earn a horrible reputation!


    Besides, isn’t the technical department of the Tribe too capable to allow such tant maniption?


    Everyone was bbergasted.


    If it wasn’t vote maniption, why did “A Bowl of Spring Noodles” surge ahead so dramatically,pletely overtaking Shen Jiarui?<div>


    “Take a look!”


    Amid the confusion and bewilderment, someone prompted, “Turn on this morning’s news from Zhongzhou Station, Chu Kuang’s new short story got reported by official media!”


    Swoosh!


    Everyone instantly searched for the news from Zhongzhou Station, only to find this headline: [A One-Man Train Station!]


    The subheading read:


    The real-life version of the story “A Bowl of Spring Noodles”!


    Zhongzhou Station holds aparable status to that of CCTV in Blue Star. It’s a television station that can’t be isted by the cultural wall. However, no one in the industry could have imagined that Chu Kuang’s new short story would be endorsed by Blue Star’s biggest official media!


    Everyone clicked on the news…