Notes of Destiny: A Musical Odyssey by Neil Grant
Chapter 14

Chapter 14 We Can't Let This Go!

“Mr. Admore, I think now is the prime time for fantasy fiction to develop quickly. We shouldn’t put all our eggs into the same basket. We should allow newcomers to compete so that everyone can flourish. Wouldn’t this be better?”

Mr. Admore looked at Mr. Chadworth expressionlessly.

Mr. Chadworth didn’t seem to be kidding..

This caused Mr. Admore to consider it.

Mr. Chadworth’s considerations made sense.

Marcus was working closely with Greenleaves Publishing now.

But the publishing company’s contract with writers was limited to one or a few pieces of work.

Once Marcus became well–known, no one could stop him from going elsewhere!

There was now great competition between publishing companies that were poaching people everywhere.

”

Marcus had a realistic and snobbish personality. He wouldn’t care about Greenleaves Publishing’s kindness.

But there were only so many resources. How were they going to divide it?

Mr. Admore was in a difficult spot.

“I’m not going to hide this from you, Mr. Chadworth. It’s too much of a risk to push a newcomer. You said you want them to flourish simultaneously. Still, I would rather give resources to authors. who are already slightly accomplished…”

Mr. Chadworth didn’t give up and immediately gave Mr. Admore the manuscript.

“Why don’t you read the beginning. It’s stunning!”

Mr. Admore couldn’t get through to Mr. Chadworth, and he puffed on his cigarette viciously.

He carefully read the first thirty thousand words of ‘Harold Patter

He was clueless before reading it but was startled when he did!

Mr. Admore was attracted by the professional and compelling writing and the plot’s ups and

downs!

Neil’s writing was seventy to eighty percent similar to Rowing’s.

It was enough to impress Mr. Admore!

Mr. Admore extinguished his cigarette and was entirely focused. He read the beginning three

times.

After he finished reading, he realized half an hour had passed.

He sighed. “You’re right, Mr. Chadmore. This newcomer’s potential is astonishing. We can’t let this go!”

Mr. Chadmore nodded at once.

Mr. Admore added, “But it’ll be hard to explain to Mr. Stewart if we give all the resources to the

newcomer.”

Mr. Chadworth had thought of a countermeasure. He took the chance to speak. “I have an idea. See if it’ll work…”

After Mr. Admore heard it, his eyes lit up, and he hit his legs hard.

“No problem! Let’s do this! Tell him about this next time he comes to submit his draft.”

Mr. Chadworth was delighted and left the president’s office happily.

He felt that he had done something great today.

Neil was a rising star in the fantasy fiction world. Mr. Chadworth wanted to see how far Neil could go!

Neil was clueless as to what had happened at Greenleaves Publishing.

He also didn’t know the novel he had signed a contract for was almost on the brink of death. It almost became just another forgotten book buried at the warehouse.

In reality, even if Greenleaves didn’t promote ‘Harold Patter,’ Neil would continue to bring in other classic works.

These books would shine in the future if he became famous.

The coach arrived at the county town bus station.

As he rushed off the bus, Neil carried his bag and many shopping bags in his right hand.

On the way, he heard many neighbors discussing.

“Isn’t that the drunkard Neil? Where did he get the money to buy so many things?”

“Ah, the things in that department store are expensive. I took a look last time, and a pair of pants cost a few hundred. I could buy so many groceries with that.”

“Neil seems to have turned over a new leaf and even won first place in a singing competition. It seems to be true.”

“Didn’t he represent our county town to join the state competition?”

“He seems to have won a prize. I heard first place won a prize of twenty thousand!”

“Good gracious, twenty thousand! How hard do I have to work to earn that amount?!”

The economy was developing in 1997. It was no longer the nineties, where households had an annual income of fifteen thousand.

Twenty thousand wasn’t an astonishing figure in an urban area.

But in a small county town, it was enormous to many people!

Neil went to the city and made twenty thousand by singing one song. It was equivalent to three or four years‘ worth of many families‘ income.

The news spread like wildfire in the county town.

Neil ignored it and went straight home.

“I’m back, Aneira. I won first place in the singing competition!”

Aneira was teaching the two children to read.

Her long, thin, callused fingers holding a pencil paused slightly when she heard it.

She raised her eyes and looked at Neil at the door.

The man had cleaned up well. His mustache was shaved, and his hair was cut. He seemed to be in high spirits.

He was overjoyed and seemed to have returned from a shopping spree with various bags.

Aneira stared at him, stupefied.

His change was too abrupt. It was highly unrealistic to Aneira!

Has he really changed?Or is he lying to me again? Does he want to sell the children to pay his gambling debts?No, I can’t believe him!

Ancira stayed silent and said nothing.

Her quiet and exquisite face had a vigilant expression.

Neil didn’t blame his wife for being like this.

He had been terrible and had done many bad things in the past. He didn’t count on Ancira to forgive him quickly.

He put the shopping bags on the couch.

His daughter, Yivi, stared at the colorful bags, and her tiny nose twitched.

She smelled the aroma of food.

She had never eaten McDonald’s and didn’t know what it was.

But she could still smell the fragrance of fried chicken and knew that her dad had bought something delicious!

The little girl, whose stomach had been rumbling, ran over happily and pulled her dad’s pant leg.

She raised her adorable face, and her eyes blinked as she asked innocently.

“Papa, is there food? It smells good?”

Neil smiled and picked the child up before kissing her soft face.

Neil had given Aneira living expenses so she could buy groceries for the three of them.

The child’s weight increased noticeably!

Her cheeks had also puffed up.

She looked extraordinarily squishy and adorable!

Neil pointed to the McDonald’s bags. “I bought kids‘ meals for you and Luca. Eat up. Continue learning after eating!”

“Oh yeah! McDonald’s! Yummy!”

Yivi had never eaten fast food. There was no such store in the county town, only in the city.

But she had seen McDonald’s advertisements on the old television.

The little girl climbed down from her dad, and her feet, which were in slippers, stepped on the tattered couch.

She sat down, and her small hands started combing through the bags.

“Papa will help you. Go and wait at the dining table.”

Neil patted his daughter’s tiny head.

Yivi ran to the wooden table excitedly.

Neil took out the kids‘ meals.

It was summer, and the weather was hot: The bag was wrapped tightly.

The fried chicken, French fries, and nuggets were still warm when taken out.

But fried food would turn soggy after a while.

It wasn’t as delicious as when it had just been fried.

Neil thought to himself. When I’m rich in the future, I’ll take the kids to live in the city and buy them many delicious foods.

Yivi didn’t know about this. Her small hands grabbed the hamburger and stuffed it into her mouth.

This was basically the best thing he had ever eaten!

“Mama, yummy… Luca, yummy!”

The girl’s mouth was greasy, and her cheeks were filled.

She kept talking about how the food was.

Neil and Aneira’s son, Luca, held a pencil and looked eagerly at his mom.

He really wanted to eat.