Starting as a Manga Editor-Chapter 39: Exaggeration

“Miss Li, thank you so much.”
Tang Yao’s emotions were a bit of a mess after hearing that—part excitement, part… well, not quite regret, but something bittersweet and hard to describe.
Li Xue had said Tang Yao was one of the few true friends she’d made.
Tang Yao felt the same. In fact, Li Xue probably meant even more to her.
After all, when she first arrived in this world, it was basically a disaster right out the gate.
Aside from her sister, Tang Kaoru, the first person who really helped her find her footing… was Li Xue.
Even though they weren’t as close as siblings, it was precisely because of that slight distance that Tang Yao had been able to learn so much from her—
things that weren’t easy to ask about, things she had to gradually figure out for herself.
Talking with Li Xue had, in a way, helped her learn how to interact with other women,
how to gauge boundaries and manage personal space.
You could say…
The more private, physical issues caused by her gender change were solved with Kaoru’s help.
But everything else—Li Xue helped her navigate that.
If she were alone, honestly, Tang Yao would’ve been happy just hanging around this beautiful big sister at the office.
It’s not like she was ever planning to get married, and she got a paycheck every month… plus free meals every day…
But the thing was—she wasn’t alone.
“…You kinda look disappointed,”
Li Xue said, carefully watching Tang Yao’s expression.
Then, with a teasing tone:
“What? Were you hoping I’d say no? That I wouldn’t help, so you’d have a reason to stay?”
“To be honest… a little.”
Tang Yao let out a soft sigh, then bent over the table in front of her, arms stretched out like a lazy cat.
She flopped there and mumbled:
“It probably sounds stupid, considering everything I’ve done to get to this point… but in the final moment, yeah—I felt like backing out.”
“If you really want to… I can change my mind.”
Li Xue reached out and gently stroked Tang Yao’s slender back like she was petting a kitten.
Then, with dramatic flair, she put on a serious face and started spinning a scene:
“Or we could act out a touching farewell—
I walk away first.
You call out to me at the door.
I freeze.
You rush over and shout, ‘I’m not leaving!’
Then I turn around and yell, ‘I don’t want you to go either!’
We lock eyes, hug, music swells—
and I happily take you home.”
???
“Miss Li, maybe cut back on the soap operas?”
Tang Yao raised a slow, skeptical eyebrow.
Then, with a bit of disgust, she pulled her curvy figure up off the chair and scooted away from Li Xue.
“And why are we going back to your place?”
“Didn’t you say you’d keep me company?”
Li Xue burst into laughter at her own melodrama. “I’m kind of looking forward to acting it out now. Should I go back on my word?”
“No.”
Li Xue half-joked, half-serious: “Why not? That little drama was kind of fun.”
“Because… I know why I wanted to back out.”
Tang Yao slowly sat up and turned to look at Li Xue, her tone sincere:
“At the end of the day, the reason I was hoping you’d say no wasn’t just because I’ll miss you.
It was also because I’m scared.
Scared of failing.
Scared to step out of my comfort zone.
That’s normal, right? Most people feel that way when making a big decision—they want to back off.
But just because you want to, doesn’t mean you should.
If I gave up now, I’d immediately start making excuses to justify it.
And if that happens… I might never find the courage to take this step again.
So no—I’m not backing out.
Even if I fail, even if I fall flat on my face, I have to take this step.
Miss Li, please help me get in touch with that investor.”
“……”
Li Xue stared at the girl’s serious face.
She looked a little disappointed, but the expression vanished quickly.
She brushed some hair behind her ear, then smiled softly.
“Well then, I guess we’ll save the heartfelt farewell scene for next time.”
“You should throw that trashy script away,”
Tang Yao said, deadpan.
“That was seriously soap opera-level cringe. That’s never gonna happen.”
“You just said you’d miss me!”
Li Xue shot her a sultry glance, equal parts annoyed and playful—it was devastatingly charming.
“And now it’s cringe? Now it’s impossible?”
“I do miss you,”
Tang Yao scooted back over to her,
“but it was also totally cringe. Do you really think something like that happens in real life?”
“Those tropes are super popular in shoujo manga. You never know.”
“No way.
Also, thank goodness I didn’t get assigned to the shoujo manga team.
That’s some busted story logic.”
“Then let me come up with a new one.”
“Stop. You’re banned from story ideas.
I can’t handle any more shoujo manga tropes. Let me do it—
Alright, here’s my version: I secure investment, make a ton of money, and then bam—
I swoop in and buy out Wenxin Press.
Then we play out a ‘Return of the Dragon King’ arc…”
“Dragon King? What’s that?”
“Don’t worry about it! Stop interrupting!
Point is—I come back super powerful,
find you suffering in the shoujo manga department, and solemnly invite you to join me.
You nod and say yes. Happy ending!”
“That’s just as melodramatic, if not worse.”
Li Xue laughed, then gave Tang Yao a sidelong glance.
“…And why wait until then?
Why not just invite me now?”
“……”
Tang Yao paused, then said helplessly,
“I don’t dare.”
Li Xue bumped her shoulder gently.
“Scared I’ll say no?”
Tang Yao shot back, “Would you?”
Li Xue glanced at the proposal in her hand, then asked softly,
“You want the truth or a lie?”
“…Forget it. I’d rather not know.”
Tang Yao shook her head.
“No matter what you’d say,
I’m not going to invite you right now—
because I’m not confident enough.”
Li Xue blinked. “But didn’t you say you believed in your proposal?”
“I do.”
Tang Yao answered,
“But what I don’t believe in…
is myself.
If I invited you, and you got swept up and actually quit with me—
then I’d be responsible for you.
For your future.
You’re already a Deputy Editor at such a young age, with a brilliant career ahead.
If you followed me into the unknown and we failed—
even if it’s just a one percent chance…
I don’t want to take that gamble with your life.
Not even one percent.”
“……”
Li Xue’s lips parted slightly, her white teeth barely visible as she froze for a moment—
as if she hadn’t expected that response from Tang Yao.
She stayed like that, slightly stunned, looking cutely flustered.
After a long pause, she finally responded,
“…You’re kind of exaggerating.”
“No,”
Tang Yao shook her head.
“I don’t think it’s an exaggeration at all.”
Then—
She turned her gaze forward, exhaled softly, and said solemnly,
“This means a lot to me…
Until I’m capable, I won’t risk your future.”
“…I see.”
Li Xue looked at Tang Yao’s side profile.
A faint blush crept across her refined, elegant face.
She quickly turned her gaze away and forced herself to push down the swirl of feelings in her chest.
My life… matters that much?
That line sounded so much like… a man who doesn’t have the means to marry the woman he loves yet,
so all he can do is make a promise for the future.
This was the first time someone had ever said something like that to her.
It was…
kind of heart-melting.
Even if it was probably a misunderstanding.
Li Xue gave a tiny shake of her head to snap herself out of it,
then returned to her usual self and smiled lightly:
“Then I’ll wait for you to succeed.”
“Count on it.”
Tang Yao turned back with a brilliant smile, her porcelain-perfect face glowing with confidence.
“Miss Li, I’m definitely coming back for you!”
“……”
Li Xue stared at Tang Yao’s radiant face so close to hers.
After a brief pause—
she looked away again, turning her head to the side.
It’s a misunderstanding…
I’ve just been working in the shoujo manga department for too long.