After Transmigration: Unexpectedly Wed the Ruthless Tycoon-Chapter 69: Rejected Manuscript

Chen Bajin saw Gu Fuqiao looking puzzled and immediately understood that she probably didn’t know yet. "I guess Captain Yan wanted to surprise you, so he hasn’t told you yet. Your letter arrived yesterday noon. I collected it for you since you weren’t back, and in the afternoon, I gave it to Yan Camp Commander."

Gu Fuqiao nodded and said, "I really didn’t know, I’ll go check it right away." Although she was eighty to ninety percent sure her submission would be published, she wanted to know the result as soon as possible.

She grabbed her shopping basket and headed home. After searching every corner, she couldn’t find the letter. She took a break and remembered the three-month agreement she had with Yan Zhen Guo.

Back then, Yan Zhen Guo said he would give her three months, and if her work wasn’t published, they’d have a stern talk about it.

"Could it be that my work got published, but he hid the letter to keep me from knowing?" Gu Fuqiao thought about Yan Zhen Guo’s serious demeanor.

The more she thought about it, the more possible it seemed, and the more suspicious he appeared.

Since she couldn’t find it, Gu Fuqiao decided to drop it and wait for Yan Zhen Guo to come clean when he got back.

Chen Bajin noticed that Gu Fuqiao hadn’t come out for a long time, so he went to the door and called for her, "Haven’t you finished yet?"

"Still can’t find it, no idea where he put it." Gu Fuqiao picked up the shopping basket and headed out with Chen Bajin.

Chen Bajin was a master at grocery shopping, and her bargaining skills left Gu Fuqiao speechless.

It was summer, and just as Gu Fuqiao bought half a winter melon and some vine vegetables and was about to leave, she saw a wooden cart loaded with watermelon beside her.

The watermelons of this time weren’t like later ones with ripening agents. Though not large, the watermelons had neat stripes and a small circle at the bottom, indicating a thin rind and sweet flesh.

Gu Fuqiao walked over and touched a watermelon, asking, "Uncle, how much are these watermelons?"

The farmer, wearing a straw hat, replied while puffing on a dry tobacco pipe, "Eight cents per pound." freewebnσvel.cøm

Eight cents a pound was less than one dime per pound, not expensive at all. Just as Gu Fuqiao was about to let the farmer weigh one, Chen Bajin stepped forward and said, "Uncle, that’s too expensive. It’s so hot, it’s not easy for us to carry one home, right?"

"But eight cents per pound is already quite low, any less won’t work." The farmer waved his hand.

Chen Bajin pressed on, "Uncle, we asked another vendor before, and theirs was five cents per pound, you’re a bit pricey."

Upon hearing this, the farmer conceded a bit, "Is that so? Okay, a bit less, six cents then."

Gu Fuqiao was amazed at Chen Bajin’s ability to bargain; the watermelon weighed over eight pounds, and thanks to her, they saved more than a dime.

More than a dime could buy two steamed buns.

After returning to the courtyard, Gu Fuqiao and Chen Bajin went their separate ways. Gu Fuqiao placed the watermelon in the sink to chill it. Then she prepared two simple dishes for herself.

The day passed by in boredom, and when Yan Zhen Guo returned in the afternoon, he found no dishes on the table, only a large watermelon in the sink.

King Yan raised his eyebrows, went into the room, and picked up Gu Fuqiao off the bed.

Yes, like an eagle catching a chick, lifted her up. Though the force was small for him, it wasn’t small at all for Gu Fuqiao.

Gu Fuqiao had been sleeping comfortably, having rarely slept well at the Gu Family. Being picked up like that, she was startled.

Fur bristled like a startled cat.

"What are you doing?" Gu Fuqiao flapped around but didn’t manage to escape Yan Zhen Guo’s grip.

Yan Zhen Guo frowned, "You didn’t cook?"

Seeing Yan Zhen Guo like this, Gu Fuqiao remembered he might have hidden the letter from her, so she decided to delay cooking to see if she could retrieve the letter.

And Yan Zhen Guo hadn’t eaten a decent home-cooked meal for days, hoping for something good, but found nothing but a large watermelon in the sink.

Gu Fuqiao cheerfully nodded, "Yeah, I didn’t cook, I’m too tired today, you make it yourself." With that, she attempted to wriggle free from King Yan’s grip to play around.

But Yan Zhen Guo didn’t give her the chance. He hadn’t showered and was a bit sweaty. He pressed Gu Fuqiao into his arms threateningly, "Want to make something else?"

This was an outright threat, and Gu Fuqiao indeed feared his excessiveness.

"Cook, cook, cook, I’ll make dinner right away!" Gu Fuqiao tried her best to break free, but the man’s arms and chest were like iron walls, and she couldn’t escape at all. Finally, perhaps King Yan realized Gu Fuqiao wouldn’t resist; he let her go.

Once free, Gu Fuqiao collapsed onto the bed. Seeing Yan Zhen Guo about to drag her to cook, she hurriedly shifted to the inner side and said, "Wait, no hurry!"

Seeing her like a frightened bird, Yan Zhen Guo stopped trying to drag her and stood there with folded arms.

Gu Fuqiao sat up straight and asked, "Where did you put the reply from the magazine?"

"Didn’t go through, continue writing next time." Yan Zhen Guo told Gu Fuqiao outright.

Didn’t go through? That’s not possible! Gu Fuqiao was taken aback and said, "No way, let me see that reply."

Seeing Gu Fuqiao insist, Yan Zhen Guo took it out from the bottom of the drawer.

Seeing this, Gu Fuqiao thought no wonder she couldn’t find it!

When Yan Zhen Guo returned yesterday afternoon, he had just wrapped up some military work and was carrying a lot of other things. The envelope wasn’t sealed properly, and its contents fell out. He caught a glimpse of the rejection words while picking it up.

Remembering Gu Fuqiao’s excitement when talking about her submission, he decided to put it away to prevent her from being disappointed.

After handing the envelope to Gu Fuqiao, Yan Zhen Guo didn’t insist on her cooking and took his change of clothes to leave.

Seeing him like that, Gu Fuqiao thought he was feeling guilty, didn’t say anything else, and opened the envelope to look.

The more she read, the angrier she got. Not only wasn’t her submission published, but it was outright rejected! They claimed her writing lacked the promotion of truth, goodness, and beauty!

Gu Fuqiao was infuriated; how could her writing lack truth, goodness, and beauty? Just because the protagonist was a clerk at a department store?

To show goodwill, the magazine even included their latest issue.

Gu Fuqiao skimmed through it and found the article in her column was full of cliches, like a stage drama. She figured her submission was rejected because the lead was a worker.