Chapter 18: The Novel is Stuck
Sometimes, even if you don’t want to admit it, humans are incredibly adaptable creatures.
Many things that seem impossible or unbearable at first can, with experience, start to feel… not so impossible after all.
For Mu Le, the last month of summer vacation was exactly like that.
She could never have imagined that she would calmly put on women’s clothes, calmly do things she once thought impossible, and not panic at all.
And how long had it taken her to reach this point? Maybe less than half a month.
Yes, it was really short, but also felt really long.
Sometimes, when waking up, she had the faint illusion that she was still in a dream.
As her body changed, her mind seemed to quietly adjust along with it, slowly but noticeably.
Mu Le hadn’t fallen into a hopeless spiral of darkness just because of the sudden transformation.
Maybe there was a brief moment when that could have happened, but under the care of one man, her mental state had changed a lot.
Someone once asked, how should you face the things that scare you?
Face them directly.
And remember, when the world doubts or denies you… Don’t forget, you are not empty-handed.
Mu Le had a lot.
A busy father who spoiled her, a reliable and gentle friend…
These were the sources that helped her through the transition. Even if everything else changed, some things remained the same.
Perhaps the circumstances were different, but the essence hadn’t changed.
Being treated kindly by the world made it easier to move past the contradictions between “before” and “after,” Mu Le sometimes thought.
Maybe she really was a lucky person.
Life went on, and time didn’t stop for anyone.
Even though there were many worries, she had no choice but to learn to adapt.
Humans grow strong because of the hardships they face.
Dark nights eventually pass, and no one can stop the dawn.
Yet, on one fresh morning, a certain young girl found herself deep in worry…
The word processor on her computer glowed softly, but the word count was pitifully low.
For a writer, nothing was more frustrating than this.
Hitting a wall with the story!
Yes, this tiny stubborn little demon.
“How am I supposed to write emotions?!”
Although Mu Le had written many novels, most of them focused on plot first, emotions second.
After all, she had never even been in a relationship before!
So writing emotional scenes had always been her weak point.
In her current story, she had originally planned to follow a plot-driven approach.
But maybe it was the emotional side that came from being a girl, Mu Le started adding more emotional description to her writing.
Doing this did make the story feel much fuller, but at the same time, it trapped her in a frustrating dilemma. She didn’t know how to continue.
Mu Le’s imagination had always been huge, but unfortunately, emotions weren’t something that imagination alone could fill.
So, after a young man had finished work and returned home, he found a certain girl lying face-down on the sofa with a look of complete despair.
“What’s wrong?” Raising an eyebrow, Xiao Yuze hung his suit on the hanger and then, with a hint of helplessness, sat across from Mu Le.
Mu Le looked up at him and then suddenly sighed without saying anything.
Xiao Yuze: “…”
What was that expression? In Mu Le’s eyes, Xiao Yuze strangely felt… pity?
“What’s the matter? Is your body uncomfortable again?”
“No.” This time, Mu Le finally spoke. “I just feel… Aze, it’s really sad that you’re so grown up and still don’t have a girlfriend.”
Hearing this, Xiao Yuze’s mouth twitched sharply.
A few black lines even appeared on his forehead. “Looks like the red wine cake I specially brought for you… might as well be thrown away.”
He shook the beautifully wrapped box in his hand as he said this.
“Eh? No! I was just joking!”
Mu Le froze for a moment, then, as if truly afraid it would be thrown away, she rushed forward quickly.
But Xiao Yuze’s reflexes were obviously faster. He raised his hand slightly, and Mu Le lunged at empty air.
The red wine cake he bought was the signature dessert of a nearby shop called Snail’s Nest. Mu Le hadn’t been a big fan of sweets before, but this cake had always been her favorite.
Unfortunately, the bakery limited how many cakes could be sold each day, and the demand was huge.
So even though she loved it, she couldn’t have it often.
“You can eat it.” Seeing Mu Le puff up her cheeks because she didn’t get the cake, Xiao Yuze couldn’t help but chuckle. “Now, tell me, what’s going on?”
“…Give me the cake first.”
Xiao Yuze: “…”
He shook his head helplessly, but didn’t argue.
Mu Le quickly grabbed the cake that was held in front of her, and the knot of anxiety in her chest finally loosened a little.
She skillfully opened the bag, took out the cake, and took a bite before mumbling, “Mm… it’s nothing really, I just got stuck writing my novel and felt a bit frustrated… cough…”
“Oh? Stuck on what? Take it slow, nobody’s stealing it from you.”
Watching Mu Le, like a little animal, gulp down the cake and almost choke, Xiao Yuze couldn’t help but feel even more helpless.
He reached for the drink on the table and handed it to her, only for her to drink almost half the bottle in one gulp.
“Cough… It’s just the emotions between characters. I don’t know how to describe them properly. It feels awkward, and I don’t know how to fix it… ah, anyway, I’m stuck.”
After swallowing the cake, Mu Le finally exhaled, a little frustrated.
“Character emotions?”
Xiao Yuze looked at her. After all, in some ways, this girl really was a bit slow on the uptake.
“If you don’t have inspiration, why not look for some references? Watch a movie or read novels of the same type, maybe it’ll give you some ideas.”
“Eh?”
Mu Le was taken aback for a moment.
Right, if she was stuck and couldn’t feel it, studying other good works might really help.
“I actually know one work that feels perfect for you, Lele.”
Seeing Mu Le’s expression of interest, a strange glint appeared in Xiao Yuze’s lowered eyes.
“Perfect for me?” Mu Le blinked in confusion. “…What?”
“Your name (君の名は / Kimi no Na wa).”