Starting as a Manga Editor-Chapter 76: Zhang Yu’s Art Department

Chu Yuxin still came back.
Because she suddenly realized—those two were girls too, so what was the big deal?
But then… why did she run off just now?
Chu Yuxin found it a little strange… Maybe the atmosphere had been kind of ambiguous?
Thinking of that—
She glanced at the two of them again. The only thought that came to mind was… so pretty.
After all, she wasn’t that cultured… the only word she could think of was “pretty.” Especially the younger one—with that delicate face, that sweet vibe that sat right between youthful and mature, that unreal figure… in short, just really pretty.
The older one wasn’t bad either—flawless makeup, fair skin, and that sophisticated city-lady vibe.
Though Chu Yuxin was female, she actually loved looking at beautiful women… because normally she didn’t dare make eye contact with men—it always felt awkward. But if it was another woman, she could look all she wanted. That way, she could better appreciate their charm. Over time, she found it easier to admire women’s beauty, and maybe even had a thing for pretty girls.
And these two in front of her were probably the most beautiful women she had ever seen—especially the younger one.
At the same time—
Tang Yao was also sizing up Chu Yuxin, though maybe out of embarrassment, she didn’t dare stare too much—just sneaking a few glances here and there.
She was a sweet and delicate girl, petite in stature, clearly quite young. Her eyes were bright and clear, and she gave off a vibe similar to Sun Gong and the others—looked like she’d just graduated.
“Hi… can I help you with something?”
Tang Yao cleared her throat a couple of times, eased the awkwardness a bit, then pulled Li Xue down to sit with her as she took the initiative to ask.
Li Xue, on the other hand, was completely at ease. Though she’d been caught off guard earlier when Tang Yao actually made a move and blushed for a second, she was totally fine now—no awkwardness at all. She was just curiously observing Chu Yuxin.
“Uh… that computer used to be mine. I’m here to copy my personal files off of it.”
Chu Yuxin snapped out of it and explained quietly.
To summarize—
Her computer had been sold by Si Jinliang, but it still had her stuff on it… She’d just gone and chewed him out. After learning the computer had been sold, she came here to grab her files.
Tang Yao didn’t make things difficult. She said she understood, minimized what was on the screen, and stepped aside so Chu Yuxin could copy her files.
The whole process was quick—
She didn’t have a lot of stuff… not sure what it even was.
“…Skeleton2D? You’re an artist too?”
Soon enough—
Everything was done.
Chu Yuxin put away her USB drive, glanced at the screen, and suddenly asked.
“Oh? You too—wait, right, this is your computer.”
Tang Yao blinked, a little surprised, and instinctively asked.
But halfway through the question, she realized something. She looked the petite girl up and down, then smiled with genuine interest. “You know this stuff?”
Chu Yuxin seemed to find it amusing that she’d run into someone in the same field, and replied seriously, “I do… but I haven’t used it professionally. I just taught myself out of interest. At Mingyu Tech, I didn’t get to use it. I mainly did 3D modeling and environment concept art. I think there’s some of my work saved on that computer. Did you see it?”
“…Of course I did. It’s impressive.”
Tang Yao’s eyes lit up, and she gave Chu Yuxin another once-over, even more intrigued.
She had seen Chu Yuxin’s work—it was really good.
She had assumed that everyone at Mingyu Tech besides the operations team had already jumped ship to find new jobs… So she hadn’t even considered the idea of finding anyone left.
But to her surprise—
Someone actually came knocking on her door.
Across from her—
Li Xue had picked up on Tang Yao’s expression. Remembering what she’d said not long ago, she jumped in and asked, “What’s your name? I’m Li Xue, and this is Tang Yao, the owner of this studio.”
Chu Yuxin nodded. “I know. Si Jinliang just told me… said you guys are making games too, and the boss is called Tang Yao, very pretty.”
“You used to be part of Mingyu Tech’s art team?”
“Yeah.”
“You’ve quit now?”
“Just quit. Si Jinliang gave me the rest of my pay—since he sold my computer. Apparently, the pay came from the money he got for selling it…”
“So have you found a new job yet?”
“Nope… it’s really hard. Those HR people all smile and say nice things in person, but then never follow up. They totally go back on their word!”
“……”
The conversation had been flowing pretty well—
Until it suddenly stopped.
Li Xue fell into deep thought… She looked at the girl in front of her—fists clenched, looking super serious—and had no idea what “go back on their word” even meant in that context.
She understood “untrustworthy.” She understood “breaking a promise.” But putting those together—what was that supposed to mean?
Tang Yao was also confused, but looking at this overly serious girl, she couldn’t help laughing. She pretty much guessed what kind of person she was, and asked directly, “How much were you making at Mingyu Tech?”
“Not much…”
Chu Yuxin gave her a number.
“In that case, since you haven’t found a job yet, how about joining our studio? I can offer you the same pay. And I promise we’ll never delay wages.”
“……”
Chu Yuxin blinked. She clearly hadn’t expected Tang Yao to invite her.
She gave Tang Yao a serious once-over and found she was being genuine. Then she fell silent, seeming a little hesitant.
A while later—
She finally whispered, “Better not…”
Tang Yao: “Why not?”
“Because you’re also making games.”
Chu Yuxin frowned a little. Her eyebrows were a bit thicker than most, so when she frowned, it didn’t look intimidating—it actually made her look kind of adorably clueless. “Si Jinliang said the same thing when he recruited me… and then it all went down the drain.”
“…‘Zhe Ji’—Ji, that character is pronounced ‘Ji.’”
Li Xue paused again, then looked like she was questioning her whole existence. She raised her right hand, opened her palm, and drew a few strokes in the air.
Tang Yao pressed her lips together tightly, trying not to laugh.
So adorably clueless. What even is “Zhang Yu”?
“Oh, Zhe Ji Chen Sha.”
Chu Yuxin’s expression didn’t change. After correcting herself, she continued, “I don’t want to go through that again. Feels like you can only survive in the big companies now—small studios like this just don’t make it…”
“Isn’t it still a job no matter where you go?”
Tang Yao took a deep breath, calmed herself a bit, and said, “You don’t have a job right now either…”
“I know.”
Chu Yuxin looked troubled. “But I really don’t dare join any early-stage studios anymore—especially game startups. Things are all fine in the beginning, but once the investors pull out, the company collapses and wages get delayed. That stuff sucks. Si Jinliang also said you guys don’t have a future…”
“I see. How about this—I'll pay you three months’ salary up front. Then another three months in advance after that.”
Tang Yao didn’t hesitate for even a second. She made up her mind and said decisively, “That way you don’t have to worry. Even if I go bankrupt, you’ll still get paid.”
Compared to game concept art, 3D modeling wasn’t as hyped. But in terms of technical difficulty, it was way tougher… Good talent in this area was incredibly hard to find.
Tang Yao understood the field, but she didn’t have the time or energy to do it herself.
And Chu Yuxin, right in front of her—Tang Yao had seen her work. It was really good!
She’d always wanted to hire an artist. And now here was one literally at her doorstep. Most importantly—Chu Yuxin had actual experience! Sure, Mingyu Tech failed, but they still launched a game!
Someone with completed project experience and real ability…
Tang Yao wasn’t going to waste time trying to lowball her.