Momo's Gradual Change

C21. Unexpected Fortune.

Chapter 21: Unexpected Fortune

Song Yimo took a deep breath and clicked into the backend.

When she saw the number, her head buzzed.

After a long wait without hearing from her, the editor, Zhang Chuliang, sent a message, bringing her back to reality. "Scared?"

Song Yimo moved her fingers, "Yes, I'm scared. Are they crazy?"

"They're probably not crazy, but they're definitely impulsive. What do you plan to do?"

Song Yimo pursed her lips, "It will affect my reputation."

Zhang Chuliang didn't reply immediately. He leaned back in his chair to ease the tension in his back, as he hadn't slept since the tipping system was implemented. Many people, not just him, were watching closely, waiting for a response from Song Yimo.

This situation was beyond their expectations, and the data for "The Crossing" was unprecedented, making it impossible to determine the effectiveness of this new system.

Zhang Chuliang massaged his throbbing temples. Song Yimo was a trustworthy author who didn't need reminders to update and had a flawless writing structure. She was clearly responsible. This situation was ultimately the result of her hard work.

A notification popped up, and Zhang Chuliang clicked on it. "Can the money be refunded?"

"This is currently under debate. But if we refund the money, it will render the new system useless."

Song Yimo scanned the books already published on the platform and had a sudden flash of inspiration. "What if, Editor Zhang, I don't refund the money but offer an extra several thousand words of public chapters than other books as a token of gratitude to the readers? Would that work?"

Of course, it would work!

Zhang Chuliang hadn't thought of this, but he knew that authors didn't usually agree to such compromises that damaged their interests. So he hadn't mentioned it before, but to his surprise, she came up with the idea herself. This made him think even more highly of Song Yimo.

"Have you made up your mind? Your book is definitely going to be a hit. With thousands of extra words, you'll earn far more than the amount in question."

"I'm grateful to everyone. I can only express my thanks this way."

"I'll report your decision, but you should write a public announcement yourself. This situation is indeed alarming and may jeopardize your popularity."

"Okay."

Closing the chat box, Song Yimo looked at the string of numbers with decimals. Over twenty-six thousand yuan – even after splitting it, she would have over ten thousand. This money would cover Grandma's medical expenses!

Since returning to her grandmother's side, the thing she worried about most had finally been resolved. How could she not thank everyone?

Increasing the public chapters by several thousand words was a small price to pay, and she was willing to do more.

The money would be deposited into her account next month. She needed to plan carefully and persuade Grandma to go for a check-up.

She couldn't afford to let Grandma's health deteriorate. Her return would serve no purpose if she couldn't ensure Grandma's well-being.

Excited, Song Yimo released five chapters in one go and also posted a separate announcement.

"Today I returned from outside to discover an unexpected fortune. It's truly surprising, and I am grateful to everyone. To show my gratitude, I will be adding an extra fifty thousand words of public chapters, beyond what other books offer. I appreciate your support, and I hope this affection continues to grow. If anyone feels the need to express their love through tipping, please consider smaller amounts. Thank you once again, and I will strive to write the stories you want to read."

Late in the evening, between nine and ten o'clock, when internet traffic was at its peak, many people were eagerly awaiting updates. Among them was Chen Jun.

One of the most famous readers on the Falun Original website was ID "Mao Xianmao," which belonged to Chen Jun – the young master of the Chen family, who certainly wasn't lacking in money. It could be said that half of the over twenty thousand yuan contributed was from him.

When the announcement caught his eye, Chen Jun was surprised. He never expected someone to give away money like this. With the book's popularity, offering an extra fifty thousand words would result in much greater losses than just the tipping money.

Was this really her decision?

Feeling idle, Chen Jun logged into his ID and started stirring up trouble.

"I love the power of the big bomb! Small splashes are no fun. Isn't the tipping system on the website just to make us spend more money? You might end up being sabotaged by this, Barely Rich."

Song Yimo remembered this ID. His name appeared frequently in the tips she received. Since she wasn't in the mood to write at the moment, she replied earnestly, "This was the result of a negotiation between me and the website. I hope for your support. I've been blown to smithereens by a big red bomb and need time to recover."

"Oh, you actually replied to me." Chen Jun became more excited and continued tapping away, "What if I keep bombing?"

Song Yimo considered the consequences and nodded, "Just wait for the bill."

"Haha, you are interesting." Chen Jun sent another bomb.

This comment was manually pinned to the top, along with the announcement. Song Yimo's previously mysterious image was enhanced, and those who were just watching now saw her in a new light. It seemed like she wasn't just about money but had more depth as an author, gaining even more admiration from her followers.

Song Yimo, of course, was the one who benefitted the most from all this. She was completely motivated and spent the entire four-day holiday at her computer, barely moving except for basic needs.

Whenever Grandma Song wanted to say something, she would see Song Yimo's enthusiastic expression and decide to hold back. After all, it wasn't often that she saw her granddaughter so engrossed in something, so she decided to let her be.

As a result, Song Yimo completely forgot about someone in another city who was anxiously waiting by the computer every day, hoping to hear that familiar cough.

When she logged into QQ and saw the friend request, it was already the last night of her month-long break.

Quickly accepting the request, Song Yimo sent a hurried apology to the other end.

Zhai Muyang was, of course, there. In fact, he had been holding onto the computer for days, with QQ installed on every device he used. Wherever he was, QQ was logged in.

Seeing the apology, Zhai Muyang's lips curled into a smile. "Busy, Yimo?"

"Yes, I've had some things to take care of these past few days and couldn't come online. I'm sorry, Big Brother Zhai."

"Everyone has urgent matters at times. You can't be blamed. Have you talked to your grandma about it? Does she agree?"

Song Yimo blushed, realizing she had been so happy these past few days that she had completely forgotten about this issue. But now, how could she approach the topic?

"I'll talk to her right now."

"Now? It's not urgent at this moment. First, talk to Big Brother Zhai."

There was no response from the other end. Zhai Muyang couldn't help but massage his temples. He had been waiting for these past few days and spoke only a few words before she disappeared!

Thinking about it, it seemed like he had been waiting from the moment he first met Song Yimo, eagerly awaiting her call. When did he become so patient?

He took out a cigarette from the pack, held it up to his nose but didn't light it. Song Yimo had told him that smoking was bad for his health, and he had been trying to quit lately.