Starting as a Manga Editor

Chapter 205: Youthful Impulsiveness

"I... of course don't mind."

Li Xue's delicate face showed nothing but sincerity, with no trace of pretense: "Wasn't that a normal thing to do? After all, I was so close to you at that time, and we're such close friends... We even share the same cup sometimes."

"I thought..."

Tang Yao couldn't help but laugh upon hearing this.

Finally understanding what Xun meant by 'as long as your orientation is normal, who would care?'

Indeed.

Lowering her eyelids to conceal the faint disappointment in her eyes, she raised her head again with a bright smile: "You really scared me. I thought you'd been avoiding me these days because of what I did..."

"What were you thinking?"

Li Xue secretly sighed in relief while giving Tang Yao a sidelong glance.

"I was thinking... wait, if you don't mind then why have you been avoiding me?" Tang Yao started to explain but quickly realized something was off, looking at Li Xue with suspicion.

"I thought you minded..."

Li Xue instinctively looked down at Tang Yao's perky bottom touching the chair surface, murmuring: "When I hugged you that time, I lifted you up by holding you there..."

"...Okay I do mind that a little."

Noticing her gaze, Tang Yao scooted back slightly, cheeks blushing as she glared. But then her tone shifted: "But haven't I done the same to you before? You didn't mind, so why would you think I'd mind? A hug is just a hug, it's not like you're some stranger."

"I thought you might mind... I won't do it again."

Hearing this, Li Xue completely relaxed, pursing her lips in a soft smile.

Good.

She didn't notice.

And... she doesn't mind.

"..."

Meanwhile,

Tang Yao also breathed a sigh of relief.

Well.

At least this didn't become a big misunderstanding. Li Xue doesn't mind my actions and was actually worried about making me uncomfortable.

This means I just need to keep hiding my true feelings.

Then everything will be fine.

Good.

Whatever.

Since coming to this world with mismatched gender, I was destined to be single anyway. Having an elegant, beautiful older sister friend isn't bad.

Looking at Li Xue's poised sitting posture, Tang Yao completely suppressed her unrealistic fantasies while smiling: "So we both thought the other person minded, and have been deliberately avoiding each other all this time?"

Li Xue instinctively retorted: "I wasn't avoiding you."

"Not avoiding me? Then why couldn't I see you anywhere?"

Tang Yao actively scooted her office chair closer, reaching out with fair hands to cup Li Xue's face, tilting her head.

This familiar gesture...

Li Xue froze momentarily before laughing, allowing Tang Yao to hold her face while joking: "Afraid you'd kiss me again."

Tang Yao found this amusing: "Didn't you say you don't mind?"

Li Xue in turn cupped Tang Yao's face: "You said you didn't mind either... yet you just scooted away."

"Talking back? I'll kiss you!"

"Go ahead, not sure who'd be taking advantage here."

Li Xue actually leaned her delicate face closer, even closing her eyes.

And Tang Yao did plant another kiss, just as brief as before.

But this time she didn't overthink it.

If Li Xue doesn't mind, then it's just normal playful behavior between close friends.

Freezing there with a red face would be weirder anyway.

Having decided to abandon those unrealistic fantasies, of course acting 'normal' is better.

Indeed.

Li Xue didn't mind either, just opening her beautiful eyes to give Tang Yao a meaningful look: "You actually did it."

"You said you didn't mind."

Tang Yao straightened her full, proud chest righteously.

That subtly trembling, stunningly ample yet perky figure seemed like a biological miracle.

"..."

Li Xue looked at Tang Yao putting on her usual righteous act and seemed both annoyed and amused.

Releasing Tang Yao's face, she couldn't resist giving the softness a deliberate pinch as she withdrew her hand.

Though the contact was fleeting.

Tang Yao still froze, completely unprepared for this move from Li Xue. She slowly looked down, then her snow-white skin quickly flushed crimson.

Face burning red, she exclaimed: "Li Xue!"

Li Xue abruptly stood up, mischievously making a quick escape: "I've got work to do. That was payback - you can get me back next time. Oh, and you said you didn't mind either."

"When did I say that! Stop right there!"

"..."

Li Xue only ran faster.

So Tang Yao didn't see... Li Xue's delicate face turning equally red the moment she turned away.

All barriers between them

vanished in an instant.

They even became closer than before.

Although... the misunderstanding still wasn't fully resolved.

But.

That hardly mattered anymore.

No matter what the two involved parties thought, certain affections would inevitably reveal themselves.

It was just a matter of who noticed first.

...

The two most important members of Avalon had reconciled.

Yet neither Avalon nor ANF staff had any attention to spare for this.

No choice.

They were swamped!

At Avalon, the "Dou Pai" project team received news about preparing for open beta. As Avalon's second game, the entire company mobilized to support its full operation.

Marketing campaigns, promotional materials preparation, operational tasks and other special preparations -

a mountain of work.

They even needed to rename the game, which still wasn't finalized.

Under such circumstances, who could pay attention to Tang Yao and Li Xue?

ANF had it even worse.

Co-publishing matters, comic affairs, plus daily operations... they wished they could split themselves in half.

And this wasn't even the peak yet.

The next day.

Players who rushed through FGO x "Dark Night" crossover event had already completed it.

The reviews? Phenomenal!

Both ANF forums and external platforms were flooded with praise!

"Finished it! All I can say is - Avalon is amazing! Truly amazing! Never expected it to be this good!"

"This storyline! Who would've thought they could expand from the final chapter of 'Dark Night' to create an entire crossover side story! Brilliant!"

"Just shows the difference between games..."

"The so-called 'official adaptation' Dark Night Decree is a joke compared to FGO's crossover! Don't even mention the artwork - the story isn't remotely comparable. Honestly, FGO's crossover feels more like the true 'official adaptation', especially that climax when the manga heroine wielded Gilgamesh's Noble Phantasm! I was so hyped!"

"Ahhh no spoilers please!"

"..."

This praise sent FGO's popularity skyrocketing again, attracting even more manga artists!

Not just artists - publishers came flocking for collaborations too!

Even Guan Fang called Li Xue three times... hoping for another partnership.

Li Xue's phone hadn't stopped ringing these two days - she was nearly driven to nervous exhaustion by the calls.

Truly suffering from success.

Meanwhile.

Those major companies Tang Yao mentioned finally took notice of ANF.

"The helmsman of this company... is quite interesting."

Shen Lun, chairman of China's second largest internet company and president of their interactive entertainment division, looked up in admiration: "To combine manga crossovers, ANF co-publishing, and new game promotion like this, creating synergistic effects... they actually made it work."

Beside him, a middle-aged man in suit nodded: "Indeed."

After some thought, Shen Lun asked: "Last time I asked you to investigate Avalon Studio's background - any findings? Any acquisition interest from them?"

"Nothing remarkable, clean capital sources - essentially self-made... As for acquisition, we approached them but got no response."

"Oh? Self-made?" Shen Lun raised an eyebrow: "Founder?"

"Well..." The suited man's expression turned odd: "A girl. Very young girl."

Shen Lun looked surprised: "A girl? No backer?"

"Correct." The man nodded again: "No backer. Reportedly she's been steering the company since FGO's launch."

"Even more interesting."

Shen Lun nodded, though internally still astonished, he maintained composure.

After all, he wasn't some twenty-something youngster anymore.

After consideration, he continued: "You're here because several of our internal mobile game project leads want ANF co-publishing?"

"Yes." The man confirmed, then hesitated: "Your thoughts are...?"

"Let's talk, but combine it with investment discussions."

Releasing his mouse, Shen Lun tapped the desk lightly, pondering before concluding: "See what they want. As long as demands aren't excessive and they're willing to accept us, I don't mind giving young people opportunities."

"Of course, the prerequisite being... they can seize this opportunity."

"If youthful arrogance makes them cocky after one success..."

"Then no further discussion needed."