How dare you go against me?!

"Alright. Did the people from the publishing house give you thirty thousand dollars?"

During dinner, Martha looked at the thirty thousand dollars placed on the table, still somewhat incredulous.

"Yes, generally speaking, before publication, authors can request an advance payment, ten thousand, twenty thousand, or thirty thousand. This money can be paid before publication, and after publication, sales revenue and the author's adjacent rights royalties should be credited to the author's account by the publishing house."

Eric explained to his mother.

"And if the publishing house doesn't make more than thirty thousand dollars, do you have to return some of the money?"

Jonathan offered his more rational perspective.

"At the moment, there is no such rule."

Eric set down his utensils and said to his father, "Generally speaking, the amount of advance payment is determined by the publishing house's comprehensive consideration. Even if they lose money, it can only be said that their judgment was flawed. So... we can safely use this money."

"I never imagined my son would become an author!"

Martha happily patted Eric's hair, "An author who came out of the small-town farm, perhaps everyone will be proud of you in the future."

"And Clark."

Seeing Clark's somewhat dim expression, Martha reached out and held Clark's hands, "Mom is proud of you too, Clark."

Though slightly disheartened, Clark quickly composed himself.

Seeing Eric's work being published, he was also happy for his brother.

"Maybe you should consult a lawyer, considering there are many aspects of the publishing contract proposed by the publishing house that we don't understand."

Jonathan, though also pleased, still calmly considered Eric's situation.

"Ms. Neil knows a lot about legal provisions; she checked the publishing contract and found nothing wrong."

Eric explained to his parents.

"Neil has helped you a lot, we really need to thank her properly."

Jonathan took out two bottles of hard soda from the cupboard, "I think we should celebrate today. You two high school students can have a drink."

"No, Jonathan, they can't drink alcohol, the alcohol content in hard soda exceeds 5%, and I don't think it's suitable for teenagers."

Martha immediately rejected Jonathan's proposal.

"Well, then, let's two adults have a drink."

Jonathan shrugged and winked at Eric and Clark, "Teenagers can't touch alcohol, or drinks that are suspected to contain alcohol, for some time."

"I don't think the alcohol content in hard soda exceeds 5%, at least I haven't tasted any alcohol in it."

At Smooville High School campus, Pete expressed his opinion on hard soda to Clark, "Maybe it's not directly fermented like other alcoholic beverages, who knows! Anyway, I quite like drinking hard soda."

"Hey!"

Carrying her books, Chloe asked the two, somewhat helplessly, "We were just discussing Eric's book being published, weren't we?"

"Yes, it does sound incredible, but when you think about it being Eric Kent, everything seems to make sense."

Pete said to Chloe, "After all, we've seen him shoot lasers from his eyes, knocking Clark all over the place."

"Sorry, Clark, I didn't mean to."

After apologizing to Clark, who looked a little embarrassed, Pete continued, "If you accept that he can shoot lasers from his eyes, then becoming an author isn't that surprising. After spending time with Clark, I've developed tough nerves."

"Pete, I think the biggest reason is that you're not interested in writing. After all, you prefer football."

Chloe replied.

"Maybe, when it comes to interest in writing, anyway, I can't compare to you, Chloe. After all, you're the editor-in-chief of The Torch."

Pete continued the debate with Chloe on the matter of "writing".

"To be honest, I'm interested in Eric's manuscripts. Maybe they can be published in The Torch?!"

Chloe didn't continue with Pete's topic but instead shifted her attention to Eric's manuscript.

"A lot of Eric's manuscripts are with Lana. Maybe you'll have better luck finding Lana than finding Eric."

Clark suggested to his best friend.

"Hmm."

Chloe squinted her eyes, revealing a smirk, "Clark, aren't you nervous? After all, the girl you like has become Eric's exclusive literary agent."

"I don't know."

Clark shook his head slightly dazed, "If I think too much, or try to stop what should happen because of fear, I won't be able to do it."

"Poor Clark, sometimes in love, you have to be a little selfish."

Chloe showed a compassionate expression, but then her lips curled into a slight smile, "But who knows, compared to believing in Eric's personality to find a girlfriend, I'd rather believe in you, Clark."

Clark: "."

Although she's praising me, why does it sound somewhat off?!

After parting ways with Clark and Pete, Chloe returned to the editor's office of The Torch.

Putting down her backpack, just as she was about to make a cup of strong coffee, suddenly the door to the editor's office was pushed open forcefully.

With a "bang," the football coach, Coach Watt, stormed in.

With an air of indignation, Coach Watt, holding a newspaper in his hand, threw it onto Chloe's desk.

"Do you know what you did today? You openly slandered me in the newspaper. You despicable person, what are your intentions?"

Coach Watt gritted his teeth, staring fiercely at Chloe, with a tendency to lash out at any moment.

"I just reported the facts."

Chloe remained calm, "There have always been rumors of your corporal punishment of students in the football team, haven't there? And I also know that recently a student was injured by you and dared not report to the team."

"So you're making baseless reports without evidence?! I've been with the team for twenty-five years, winning countless honors for this school. And you, a student who only knows how to wield a pen, venting your grievances in the newspaper, writing a few insinuating words, thinking you can trip me up? Dream on, you'll never succeed!"

"I only report the truth."

Chloe's anger was also provoked, "If it's just writing insinuating words, I'll bring up Principal Kent's death. I know Principal Kent has been investigating your instigation of cheating by the team members and even wants the board of directors to fire you!"

"You..."

Coach Watt's eyes almost spewed fire, "I warn you for the last time, there's no room for any obstacles between me and my model! If you don't want to get into bigger trouble, shut up!"

His last words were almost shouted.

As his echoing words reverberated in the room, the newspaper on the ground ignited with a "whoosh."

The surging flames frightened Chloe, who turned pale with panic, and she backed away.

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