Ever since enjoying a meal paid for by a coworker's manuscript fee, a silent competition had quietly begun among Qian Wenlin's colleagues.
"Since we're all Chinese teachers, getting an article accepted should be a breeze. Not taking advantage of such an easy side gig is a waste..."
That drunken confession by a colleague was deeply imprinted in everyone's minds.
The underlying message was that if you couldn't easily publish an article, you were not fit to teach Chinese.
It was very hurtful.
This was no longer just about earning extra money but about proving one's professional competence!
So, Qian Wenlin and the other Chinese teachers who had never published started writing and submitting their work secretly.
However, in reality, there was no direct correlation between teaching Chinese and being a writer. Writers might not make good Chinese teachers, and vice versa.