Chapter 4, Publishing a Book

"No problem." Xu Tianxue certainly would not oppose and nodded.

Xiao Wei possesses considerable talent in the arts, with a commendable level in both classical dance and folk dance, and has even received a reduction in admission scores from Peking University. After entering university, she naturally joined the school's student art troupe, becoming a member of the dance team, and is well-acquainted with various activities of the art troupe

Xiao Meng returned to Huada and spent a weekend studying the circuit diagrams provided by Lu Zhihang—these diagrams were drawn by Lu Zhihang using VisualGraph, and they appeared very professional yet somewhat complex. Xiao Meng's physics knowledge was still at the high school senior level, so she could understand very little of it. Consequently, she sought help from her father, who is an engineer. Her father's remark, "Wait until you complete your electrical internship before looking at this," extinguished half of her enthusiasm. As for the other half, it was doused by the cost; she searched for the prices of several electronic components she needed on a certain online shopping platform, and the total came to 280—more expensive than her current second-hand bicycle.

Lu Zhihang's cold voice came through the phone: "I am in the dormitory, come over."

"I will definitely work hard to cultivate my artistic sensibilities when I have the time," said Xiao Meng. However, by that time, perhaps there will be no need to cultivate artistic sensibilities, as computer technology may have already advanced to the point of perfect composition, perfect performance, and perfect dance.

Xiao Meng was certainly relieved and hurriedly found her second-hand bicycle to return to school

Xu Tianxue hosted a dinner, and the four of them enjoyed a pleasant meal together, thus concluding today's activities. As Xu Tianxue drove away, she promised that the book would be printed by the end of this month and would be available for sale next month, assuring the two sisters not to worry.

Xiao Wei explained: "My sister and I were very mischievous when we were young, my parents were exhausted, and they even said it would have been better to have one less child"

Your parents must be very proud of you, Xu Tianxue said

Xiao Wei confidently said: "Have Xiao Meng and I ever disappointed you from childhood to now? Please trust in our self-control."

Now that the manuscript has been submitted to the publisher, it is time to photograph the cover and illustrations

The thoughts of the great deity are truly difficult to fathom

The beginning and end of this conversation concluded too swiftly; she did not even fully see the face of Lu Zhihang before he retreated. This was not an ordinary cold silence, but rather one that had frozen solid like liquid nitrogen.

Xiao Meng glared at her sister: "Don't pinch my face. One centimeter is hardly noticeable."

Lu Zhihang quickly descended the stairs, holding in both hands a stack of books approximately one foot thick, each with the thickness of a brick. Upon a rough glance, there seemed to be about ten or so volumes. He directly placed a stack of books into her bicycle basket

Xiao family's parents provided their two daughters with the utmost encouragement within their means. The elder sister enjoys artistic activities, so they enrolled her in a training class; the younger sister is interested in programming, so they bought her a computer

"Is it necessary to take photos?" Xiao Meng had many doubts about this

She returned to the dormitory, filled with confusion, holding a reference book over a foot tall.

Xiao's parents initially opposed this matter, believing that fame is a double-edged sword. While it can bring short-term benefits, in the long run, it may not necessarily be a good thing

Xiao Wei nodded in satisfaction: "You are becoming more and more articulate."

Clearly, even identical twin sisters who have been together since birth, like everyone else entering the adult world, have taken different paths, and the opportunities to act together as they did in childhood are becoming increasingly rare

So... selling books is not as good as selling one's face? Xiao Meng replied helplessly.

Indeed, it is so

Xiao Wei asked her: "At 8 o'clock tonight, our student art troupe has a symphony concert. Would you like to come and listen with me? Don't go back tonight, just come to my place to sleep. My roommate misses you quite a bit."

Therefore, Xiao Meng decisively abandoned this seemingly beautiful idea. She silently created a folder named "Freddie" on her computer, carefully saving several circuit diagrams, and decided not to open this file again in the near future

From infancy, the differences between the two sisters gradually became apparent. The elder sister is cheerful and lively, able to perform confidently in front of an audience from a young age, showcasing her diverse talents. In contrast, the younger sister is somewhat shy about performing on stage, preferring to sit in the audience. Later, she developed a fondness for computers and a strong interest in programming, exhibiting a personality that is less outgoing than her sister's, but more introspective.

Xiao Wei acknowledged this statement and believed that the editor was correct

"No, sister," Xiao Meng said, spreading her hands. "Today has already been wasted, and I still have many problems to solve, as well as a circuit diagram to review..."

As the saying goes, brothers fight tigers together, and fathers and sons go into battle side by side... When it comes to selling faces, it is better for sisters to do it together

"If they really have one less, they will regret it. You two are so beautiful and smart; they do not know how proud and pleased they are inside," Xu Tianxue said. "Which one of you sisters is a bit more mischievous?"

Xiao Meng found it difficult to accept such a realistic statement, but since Xiao Wei intended to accept it, she had no choice but to comply, contributing her own face—after all, she looked just like her sister. Having her sister's face printed in the book was equivalent to having her own face printed in the book, making no difference at all

Senior brother, thank you. I will return the book to you as soon as I have made a copy.

As someone who believes in the saying "a short hand is at the mercy of others," Xiao Meng could not expect Lu Zhihang to wait for her. After hanging up the phone, she rode her bike to wait downstairs at Building 22—she had just been there a few days ago, so she was quite familiar with the route.

Xiao Meng quickly greeted the two individuals

This one centimeter height difference has probably become an eternal meme

How to say?

Many elders say that the biggest difference between Xiao Meng and me is probably that she is a little smarter than I am. I think this must be her way of getting back at me for taking away her nourishment from the womb.

This statement was highly persuasive, and thus Mr. and Mrs. Xiao nodded in agreement

Then let it be this way. Wen Jing looked at the photos in the camera, no longer insisting; the current photos were sufficient for now

Xiao Meng weakly gestured with the Erkang hand towards his departing figure—"Great God, I still have some questions. Regarding that circuit diagram, I have a few minor inquiries. About these books, which ones should I read first and which ones later? What are the key points?"

The proportion of twins in the population is one percent, which is not particularly rare but also not common. What is remarkable is the presence of exceptionally attractive twins. When equally beautiful girls appear together, the impact is akin to one plus one being greater than two. When the sisters appear together, others are left unsure of where to direct their gaze.

When Xiao Meng arrived at the photography studio near the school on her newly purchased bicycle, her sister Xiao Wei had already been sitting in the lobby with the publisher's editor and the photographer for ten minutes, and the three were engaged in lively conversation

Xiao Meng immediately complimented back: "That's not the case at all; more people say that you, sister, are smarter than I am"

Xiao Meng stood alone, stunned for a full half minute, feeling a bit breathless. Clearly, just two days ago, they could engage in pleasant conversation, like a truly responsible and patient senior. Yet today, not a word was spoken, there was no eye contact, and his expression was absent. Even the most basic gaze was so lacking; did he really dislike himself that much? ... But he also lent me a book ...

Xiao Weila sat down and solemnly introduced to her the young publishing editor Xu Tianxue and the photographer Wen Jing, both of whom are young women under thirty, quite poised and capable

Senior brother, I will arrive in five minutes

Xu Tianxue explained that we are currently in an era of information explosion, and the print media market is far from what it used to be. To sell books, it is essential to have sufficient gimmicks, and a photo of beautiful twin sisters is the best gimmick. With appropriate promotion, this book is likely to become a bestseller, and the sisters' royalties will also be considerable

"You unfortunate science students..." Xiao Wei exclaimed, knocking over a whole boat with a single stroke, "You truly have no artistic sensibility whatsoever"

After reviewing your manuscript, I believe that you are all very intelligent, but your intelligence is directed in somewhat different ways

Xiao Meng does not have much enthusiasm for this matter, feeling that the two sisters have not achieved anything remarkable; they merely have slightly better college entrance examination scores. Is it really appropriate to boast about this? Xiao Wei, on the other hand, is completely indifferent to fame. As Zhang Ailing said, one should seize the opportunity for fame early; if it comes too late, the joy may not be as fulfilling. Since there is an opportunity, one should certainly grasp it; at the very least, there is a fee for the article to be earned

In the following hours, the two sisters dedicated their time to the noble art of photography. They changed into seven or eight outfits in the studio, leaving behind a series of photos in various corners. Finally, they visited Peking University, where they took a set of photos at some of the campus's famous landmarks. The photographer, Wen Jing, initially wanted the sisters to also take a set of photos at Huazhong University, but abandoned the idea due to Xiao Meng's objections. Xiao Meng felt an inexplicable sense of shame at being seen taking cute photos in her own territory.

Xiao Wei helplessly waved her hand to dismiss them: "Hurry up, hurry up."

Xiao Wei asked: "Sister Xu, could you send me a copy after you finish processing the photos?"

Xiao Meng's twin sister, Xiao Wei, is a freshman at Jingda, which is next to Huada, majoring in finance. The two sisters are identical twins, born just 12 minutes apart, yet they exhibit significant differences in habits and personality.

Xiao Wei invested a great deal of enthusiasm in the endeavor of publishing a book. She chose to collaborate with the most powerful publishing house and signed a contract with them. Throughout the entire summer vacation, she was diligently writing, producing a manuscript of over 100,000 words—Xiao Meng also contributed 30,000 words to it.

It is I. My father said that I have been competitive since childhood, even in the womb I took away my sister's nutrition, and when I was born, I had to come out first. Xiao Wei smiled as she turned to pinch her sister's face, "Xiao Meng was born a pound lighter than me, and now she is also a centimeter shorter than me"

"After all, it is a bit shorter." Xiao Wei was not willing to let go of this hard-won advantage, "However, who knows if the loss of the old man’s horse is not a blessing?"

The calm and composed Wen Jing observed the two sisters with the discerning eye of a professional photographer: "There is still a bit of a gap in style and temperament"

Xu Tianxue's eyes circled around the two of them several times—previous communications had all been online, and today was her first time meeting the two young authors in person. She expressed the sentiment that most people have when they first see them: "You two look so much alike, it's hard to tell you apart"

The two sisters were both admitted to the nation's top universities, an event that caused quite a stir in their hometown, Rongcheng. Coupled with their attractive appearances, the news gained even more traction, leading several publishers to call and invite them to write a book sharing their study experiences

This is my busy sister

After entering high school, the differences in personality between the two sisters became increasingly apparent, and the paths they chose diverged like two branching railway tracks, growing further apart. One excelled in the humanities while the other excelled in the sciences, ultimately both gaining admission to the country's most prestigious school

After having lunch on Monday noon, Xiao Meng called Lu Zhihang and brought up the matter of borrowing books that he had mentioned earlier

Lu Zhihang valued words as gold, merely responding with a "mm" before returning to the dormitory, leaving Xiao Meng with no opportunity to speak