Dad, Please Try a Little Harder

Xu Congfeng, of course, knew who Qian Quan was.

In fact, many students from various Azure Bay universities were familiar with him.

Not to mention the video that first brought him fame, titled “Qian Faces No Fear”;

Nor his heroic act of valor for which he was commended;

Certainly not his recent and shocking victory over the chess Master during the ‘The Campus Chess Talent Hunt¹ event;

Not even the rumors surrounding him and the renowned senior, Tang Bingbing of The Luminous Drama Society, a well-established student organization in Azure Bay;

Just consider the recently concluded Freshmen Martial Arts Competition where he emerged as the champion.

It made sense now. When Ding Linlang proposed that he challenge Qian Quan in a game of chess or a duel, she wasn’t giving Xu Congfeng a chance; she was setting him up for failure.

If that was the case, a simple show of strength wouldn’t suffice. He needed to up the stakes.

The challenge seemed daunting, but Xu Congfeng was even more excited.

True love must withstand tests.

“Yes, I am Qian Quan. Do you need something?” The voice on the other end of the phone admitted candidly.

“Oh, hi, I’ve heard a lot about you… Here’s the thing, I’ve been pursuing Ding Linlang, and she told me I have to get through you first to stand a chance.

“So, I thought of meeting you, just the two of us. Would you be available?”

Choosing sincerity, Xu Congfeng believed that honesty was always the best policy.

“Sure. When and where would you like to meet?”

“How about tomorrow evening, 7:30 at Funing One?”

“Excuse me?”

Xu Congfeng anticipated the confusion and explained, “Funing One is a renowned nightclub in Azure Bay. Don’t worry; it’s a legitimate place.”

“I’ll have some friends with me; you can bring a couple of your friends too. As for expenses, it’s on me.”

“Alright then.”

Xu Congfeng detected a hint of surprise in Qian Quan’s voice, suggesting that the first move had been effective.

Still, after ending the call, Xu Congfeng immediately shared the news in his group chat with his close friends:

“Guys, Ding Linlang’s close friend is Qian Quan, the recent martial arts champion. So, be cautious with your words tomorrow night.”

“Holy shit!!!” One of the friends from the Azure Bay University basketball team exclaimed, “We played a friendly match against Seacoast Normal University, and he trashed us! I couldn’t touch a basketball for a week!”

Xu Congfeng felt upset, “Ding Linlang really knows how to challenge me!”

Another friend chimed in, “I’ve heard of him too… Xu, seriously, are you that in love with Ding Linlang? There are plenty of fish in the sea, you know!”

Xu Congfeng asked, “Liangliang, what are you trying to say? Are you thinking of backing out?”

Liangliang replied, “No way! I was just joking to lighten the mood. Regardless of how impressive Qian Quan is, he’s still from the countryside. We have the upper hand.”

“The key principle: We’ll win with reason.”

“Funing One? Why would they want to meet there?”

After Qian Quan shared his conversation with Xu Congfeng, Ding Linlang was genuinely perplexed.

“He probably wanted to dazzle me with the glitz and glamour of the Azure Bay,” he guessed.

Ding Linlang frowned, “Seriously?”

That evening, as the two dined together, they discussed the new character setup of Fan Mingshan, a junior disciple in “Master’s Love.” The original author, Ding Linlang, clarified that it wasn’t a newly added concept but part of the initial plan.

“Well,” Qian Quan didn’t linger on the topic, announcing, “I’m considering writing a book as well.”

Ding Linlang laughed, “Oh? Planning on writing a web novel or something else?”

“Not sure about the theme yet.”

“Once you’ve got something, let me read the introduction. I can offer some guidance.” Ding Linlang always appeared confident in front of Qian Quan.

He mused aloud, “I don’t think so. It feels embarrassing to let someone I know read my work. It’s like standing bare in front of them…”

Suddenly realizing how it sounded.

He then felt a sharp, icy glare from Ding Linlang.

Attempting to lighten the mood, he joked, “By the way, Xu Congfeng told me he might be bringing a few friends later, and if disagreements arise, there could be a skirmish.”

Ding Linlang ignored him.

After dinner, they purchased a laptop together.

“By the way,” asked Qian Quan as they left the store, “Is there anything specific you want for your birthday this year?”

“I wish for my new book to do well,” she replied.

Qian Quan began, “Of course, it will! I can’t spill all the details, but those familiar with online literature will understand. Your book will achieve… uh, I mean if we break it down and analyze every aspect…”

“Stop rambling!” Ding Linlang cut him off.

“Right,” he nodded.

After dropping Ding Linlang off at her campus, Qian Quan made his way back to Seacoast Normal University.

En route, he received a message from her, “Anything you buy as a gift will be perfect.”

He responded with a smile, “Understood.”

Once back in his dormitory, he set up his new laptop and began researching the electronic version of “New Story Monthly” and its submission guidelines.

Yes, Qian Quan intended to submit his debut work to “New Story Monthly”.

It was a symbolic gesture, given the publication’s history with his father.

Furthermore, he wanted to understand the entire submission process and operational model of the publication.

After a half-hour of research, he felt more informed, so he closed the browser and opened a document.

What’s the secret to writing?

A famous author had once articulated.

“Simply put, open the document and start!”

Qian Quan’s debut piece was about a father and son.

Based on what he’d seen from “New Story Monthly”, he quickly formulated a story.

In essence, it was about a middle-aged, married theater actor who gets involved with a younger woman. The twist? His son discovers the affair and confronts the mistress.

The two had a disagreement, which escalated into a physical altercation. In the heat of the moment, the son accidentally killed the mistress.

The teenager, having unintentionally taken a life, was in shock. His first instinct was to call his father.

Upon arriving at the scene, the father, after an initial shock, quickly regained his composure. He tidied up the area and sternly instructed his son on what to say before sending him away.

Once his son left, the father called the police and truthfully informed them that his son had accidentally killed the mistress.

However, for a split second, there was an unnatural look in the father’s eyes.

An experienced detective noticed this brief, odd expression.

Later, when the son was questioned, his account matched his father’s.

The case seemed clear-cut at that point.

Yet, the detective had doubts. The deeper he dug, the more it seemed the son’s motive and evidence for the murder were too perfect as if staged.

Upon further investigation, the detective was startled to find that the father and the mistress had long-standing disputes. The mistress had been pressuring the father to divorce and marry her.

Connecting the dots and based on other subtle clues, the detective pieced together another possible truth:

The father had murdered the mistress and framed his son for the crime!

After another round of questioning, the son broke down and admitted that after pushing the mistress, he hadn’t harmed her any further. It was the father who had told him to say otherwise.

The truth was finally out: while the son had knocked the mistress unconscious, the fatal blow was delivered by the father.

However, after the father’s arrest, the detective had an unsettling feeling that something was still amiss.

The last scene revealed the father, now in jail, with a satisfied smirk.

The story ended here.

With the plot outline complete, it was time to write the full story.

But first, a fitting title for the drama:

“A Father’s Mountainous Love: When I Accidentally Killed the Mistress, My Father Took the Blame”

Clearly, this title was meant to evoke emotion and drama.

Qian Quan chuckled at the title, noting its juxtaposition with his father’s books.

However, he genuinely wasn’t trying to rival his father..