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The plot seems quite engaging so far, and the character interactions feel natural. I'm really looking forward to the full version.

[Pre-ordered! Supporting domestic visual novels! Hope the full version maintains the same quality!]

The comments, while not yet exploding in number, are almost all positive affirmations and sincere expectations.

These direct feedbacks from unfamiliar players are more powerful than any words.

Bai Shishi, who was next to him, excitedly ran to his seat. Mo Xiangwen consciously moved back a little to make room for Bai Shishi to sit down.

Bai Shishi didn't stand on ceremony and sat down directly. She scrolled down with the mouse to where she had just seen it, pointed, and laughed, "Xiang Wen, look! Look! So many people say they like my character art!"

Mo Xiangwen patted her little head: "Because Shishi draws very well, and I also like the character illustrations drawn by Shishi."

"Hehehe."

"Many people have also discovered the Easter eggs I hid in the background," Su Mengyao said with a smile.

Although Yan Nuoya didn't say anything, a slight smile appeared on her lips as she looked at the positive reviews discussing the game system and stats.

Seeing everyone's excitement, Mo Xiangwen's mood brightened like the sunshine outside the window.

His gaze swept over the comments, finally settling on one of them:

The current common route and the individual routes available in the demo are both very interesting. I hope that the routes for other characters will also be of this quality. Looking forward to it!

This comment happened to be seen by Su Mengli, who was also browsing feedback. The smile on her face faded slightly, and her gaze lingered on that line of text for a long time.

Her hands, resting on her lap, clenched quietly, and a resolute glint flashed in her clear eyes.

"What's wrong?" Mo Xiangwen noticed her subtle change in emotion and asked softly.

Su Mengli snapped out of her daze, turned to look at him, a gentle smile returning to her face, and shook her head: "It's nothing."

She paused, her voice soft but exceptionally clear: "I just feel that I need to work even harder."

Mo Xiangwen was slightly taken aback. He looked at the flame of fighting spirit ignited in her eyes by the players' expectations and couldn't help but laugh.

"No, not you, Mengli. It's that we need to cheer each other on," Mo Xiangwen said softly.

Su Mengli paused for a moment, then nodded with a slight smile.

"Ah."

To be fair, Su Mengli has a strong sense of perseverance and competitiveness, and once it is fully unleashed, the tenacity she displays is astonishing.

After making the decision to rewrite the script, she seemed to enter a state of complete focus and seclusion.

For a whole month, she devoted almost all her attention to the world of "Xia Chenlu".

Everything in the outside world, including the progress of other people's responsibilities, daily chatter and jokes, and even meals, sometimes required Mo Xiangwen or his sister to remind him before he would suddenly realize it.

Naturally, the responsibility of preparing the three meals, which was originally Su Mengli's responsibility, also fell on him and Su Mengyao.

Although Su Mengyao has caused a lot of trouble and jokes, with him and the food delivery app around, people are at least not going hungry.

This month, though not long, is not short either. In the long project cycle, it is just one phase, even if it is the most important sprint phase.

Finally, the calendar turned to the date of the official release.

Compared to the tension and chaos of the pre-sale and demo release a month ago, the atmosphere in the studio was much more peaceful this time.

It's not that people aren't looking forward to the game's release, but after experiencing the previous pre-sale and demo, they've become much calmer about facing something like this again.

Of course, there is one notable exception to this calm.

Su Mengli.

She sat upright in her chair, her back straight, her hands neatly placed on her knees, but her gaze was somewhat unfocused, occasionally drifting to the screen displaying the backend of the announcement, then quickly looking away, her fingertips unconsciously adjusting the already perfectly smooth hem of her clothes.

Today, players will truly experience the complete story of "Xia Chenlu," which she spearheaded and poured her heart and soul into over the past month.

That temporarily suppressed, uneasy feeling surged up uncontrollably as the final judgment approached.

Mo Xiangwen moved closer to her, his voice soft and carrying a reassuring smile: "Don't scare yourself. I've watched you polish this storyline from the outline to the key plot points, even some of the detailed dialogue. Trust me, it's very well written, absolutely no problem. Relax."

Su Mengli felt as if her thoughts had been read, her cheeks flushed slightly, and she subconsciously tried to defend herself, but her voice lacked confidence: "I...I wasn't nervous."

Mo Xiangwen blinked, nodded readily, and said with a slightly exaggerated teasing tone, "Okay, I wasn't nervous. Maybe I saw it wrong."

He raised his hand and pressed it against his chest, saying in a serious tone, "Actually, I'm a little nervous and need Miss Mengli to give me some courage."

His affected manner successfully eased Su Mengli's tension a little, and she couldn't help but gently pat his arm, both amused and annoyed: "You're such a chatterbox."

Mo Xiangwen smiled and accepted the blow. Just as he was about to say something more, Su Mengli's gaze was uncontrollably drawn to the screen again.

Su Mengli couldn't help but speak in a low voice, a hint of anxiety barely perceptible in her tone: "Why... haven't we seen any comments about the character storylines yet?"

Upon hearing this, Mo Xiangwen smiled helplessly. He patiently explained, "My dear screenwriter Su, it's only been an hour since the game was released. Even if players start playing immediately without eating or drinking, it will still take several hours just to complete the common route and experience the early basic character development."

"Furthermore," he paused, looking at Su Mengli, "not all players will choose the 'Xia Chenlu' route immediately. We need to give others some time to explore and make their choices, right?"

Su Mengli pursed her lips, naturally understanding this principle. However, while she was rational, the anxiety of hoping to be recognized and fearing not to be recognized was not so easy to quell.

She lowered her head slightly, feeling a little disappointed, yet also finding this childish behavior somewhat ridiculous and unlike herself.

Seeing her rare display of vulnerability and concern, Mo Xiangwen felt a surge of warmth and spoke even more gently: "Besides, you see, the game has just been released, sales are not high, and there are relatively few players who have experienced it and are willing to give their reviews."

"Don't rush, wait a little longer, let's see how it goes in a month."

Su Mengli looked up and met his encouraging gaze. Although she was not completely at ease, her anxiety, which had nowhere to turn, seemed to have finally found a harbor to rely on for the time being.

She gave a soft "hmm," took a deep breath, and tried to calm herself down again.

Chapter 271 Wait a minute! (4K3 combined)

A few days later, one afternoon, the only sounds in the studio were the rhythmic clicking of keyboards and the occasional soft click of a mouse.

Suddenly, Su Mengyao cried out "Ah!" breaking the silence in the studio.

"Sis! Look at this!"

Startled by her startled breath, the others looked up or turned around.

Su Mengyao pointed at her computer screen, her face showing a mixture of excitement and eagerness.

"What's wrong?" Mo Xiangwen asked as he and the others gathered around.

"Look! This long review!" Su Mengyao stepped aside and pointed to the article on the screen that was significantly longer than the other short reviews: "It's the only one that specifically evaluates a character's storyline and it's a long review!"

Mo Xiangwen looked at the long review, then at Su Mengyao whose eyes were shining, and couldn't help but chuckle: "Su Mengyao, didn't we agree to be patient and wait a month before looking at the feedback? You haven't been secretly refreshing it these past few days, have you?"

Su Mengyao blushed when she was exposed, stuck out her tongue, and tried to fool Bai Shishi by making a silly "hehehe" laugh.

"Let's see what it says first," Yan Nuoya's calm voice rang out, drawing everyone's attention back to the screen.

Everyone held their breath and read together:

[Having completed the route for the heroine with long, straight black hair, I couldn't resist writing down my thoughts. First, let me state that long, straight black hair is my absolute preference, so I went straight for this route after finishing the common route. Playing it was a truly delightful surprise! The writing style and overall atmosphere of this route are completely different from the common route and the route available in the demo. The level of detail and the focus of emotional build-up are vastly different; at first, I even wondered if they had a different writer. But surprisingly, despite the different style, the reading experience is equally smooth and enjoyable. The character's charm isn't diminished; on the contrary, this different writing style brings out a richer and more moving layer of emotion. Especially the handling of several key turning points in the mid-to-late game, the emotional rendering is very well done, showing the writer's dedication. Highly recommended! I hope the other routes maintain this high standard!]

The comment was quite long, and the wording conveyed a serious attitude rather than being vague. It specifically mentioned the differences in writing style and emotional expression.

Even among many galgame players, this person should be considered a seasoned connoisseur.

The room was silent for a few seconds.

Su Mengli stared blankly at the words on the screen, reading them one by one, as if trying to confirm that it wasn't her hallucination.

When she finally read the last two words, "good review," her slightly tense shoulders finally relaxed completely, and an indescribable warmth welled up from the bottom of her heart, washing away all the fatigue and anxiety of the past month.

She subconsciously raised her hand and gently covered her lips.

Bai Shishi happily hugged Su Mengli's arm and exclaimed excitedly, "Sister Mengli! Look! She's getting a special praise!"

Su Mengyao nodded vigorously, beaming with pride: "I knew my sister was the best!"

Yan Nuoya stood a little further away and smiled: "It seems that Mengli's writing is no worse than someone else's."

Mo Xiangwen, who was about to praise Su Mengli, was taken aback by Yan Nuoya's words. However, he knew that this was Yan Nuoya's teasing, or rather, her affirmation of Mengli.

"That's right, after all, I've never been a young lady of high birth." Mo Xiangwen snorted twice, pretending to be somewhat dissatisfied, and complained, "How could I possibly compare to Miss Mengli in this aspect?"

Hearing his sarcastic words, Su Mengli couldn't help but chuckle. She turned to look at him, winked mischievously, and said playfully, "Would Mr. Xiang Wen like to experience being a young lady?"

"Let's forget about that kind of thing." Mo Xiangwen shook his head repeatedly and said immediately, "I think my writing skills are just so-so in this lifetime. Let others take the lead in reaching the pinnacle."

These words immediately elicited cheerful laughter from the others, and a joyful atmosphere filled the air.

"How about we arrange a celebration banquet tonight?" Mo Xiangwen said with a smile. "Sales have been very high recently. If this trend continues, we still have a good chance of reaching a million in sales within a month."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "We can also celebrate that Miss Mengli's copywriting received special praise from the players."

Su Mengli, her face still flushed and smiling, rolled her eyes at him, then gently shook her head: "Xiang Wen, if we're going to celebrate, why don't we wait a little longer?"

"Hmm?" Mo Xiangwen asked, somewhat puzzled.

"Soon it will be my and Mengyao's birthday."

He knew about this, and had already privately discussed it with Shishi and Nuoya, preparing to give them a surprise.

But to everyone's surprise, Su Mengli brought it up herself, which suggests that she had already guessed their plan.

Bai Shishi was quite surprised, thinking that she had accidentally revealed a secret somewhere, and looked at Mo Xiangwen with some self-reproach.

Mo Xiangwen gently shook his head at her.

Given Mengli's intelligence, it's perfectly normal for her to guess it; no one can be blamed for that.

Su Mengli chuckled and said, "We can just do it all at once then. There's no need to go through the hassle of doing it separately twice."

He smiled and nodded slightly: "Okay, I'll listen to you."

-----------------

A few weeks later, Su Mengli and Su Mengyao's birthday party was held at the villa.

Just like on Bai Shishi's previous birthdays, the room was decorated with ribbons and balloons. Around the table were various dishes that Mo Xiangwen and Yan Nuoya had made together, and in the very center was a birthday cake that Bai Shishi had carefully selected.

Laughter and cheerful conversation continued throughout the night.

As they blew out the candles, amidst cheers and the "Happy Birthday" song, Su Mengli and her sister exchanged a smile and made a wish together.

The party ended and the night was deep.

Bai Shishi had too much fun and was helped back to her room to rest by Su Mengyao early on. Yan Nuoya also quietly went back to her room to tidy up. The living room gradually quieted down, leaving only the messy dining table and the faint sweet smell of cake in the air.

After Mo Xiangwen and Su Mengli cleaned up the remaining trash together, Su Mengli did not leave immediately.

She walked to the window, gazing at the tranquil night outside, her figure appearing somewhat frail in the soft lamplight.

"What's wrong? Are you tired?" Mo Xiangwen walked to her side and asked.

Su Mengli gently shook her head without turning around, but her voice was noticeably lower than usual.

"Xiang Wen, there's something... I haven't told anyone, not even Meng Yao."

Mo Xiangwen realized that she might have something important to say, so he remained quiet and did not disturb her, but moved closer to listen.

“Actually, I’ve always felt that Mengyao is the more talented one.” Su Mengli’s voice was soft, with a hint of barely perceptible melancholy: “Whether it’s piano, calligraphy, or painting, all the things that Mom emphasizes and teaches, I struggle with them. I have to put in twelve times the effort just to barely meet Mom’s expectations. But Mengyao, even if she only practices sporadically, she can always quickly grasp the essence and do better than me. Even when Mom is teaching us, she always pays more attention to Mengyao.”

She paused, then continued, "As for studying... to be honest, I don't know if I'm really more talented than Mengyao. Maybe I am. But the reason I study so hard is mostly because I'm the older sister."

She finally turned around and looked at Mo Xiangwen, a bitter and self-deprecating smile on her face: "I feel that I must do well, I must become a role model, and I cannot slack off in the slightest, otherwise how can I be worthy of being Mengyao's older sister? So, as you know, the Su Mengli that Mengyao sees has almost always been studying."

Mo Xiangwen listened quietly, feeling a pang of heartache in his heart.

“So.” Su Mengli took a deep breath, her gaze becoming somewhat complicated: “When you started assigning tasks, letting Shishi take charge of the character illustrations independently, and letting Mengyao take charge of both the background and the music, and doing them all so well… for a moment, I really felt like I was someone who was dispensable.”

As she spoke, she laughed first, shaking her head as if trying to shake off that negative emotion: "Of course, I'm not such a fragile girl, and I won't dwell on things forever. It's just that occasionally, such thoughts inevitably flash through my mind."

“Of course not.” Mo Xiangwen immediately retorted, looking intently at her: “How could you be dispensable? Su Mengli is Su Mengli, unique, and an indispensable part of our team. Doesn’t Miss Mengli excel in every aspect?”

He warmed Su Mengli's heart, but when she heard the last address, she felt as if he was teasing her, and she couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed and annoyed. She reached out and gently pinched his arm: "Don't make fun of me."

Mo Xiangwen let her pinch him, but his eyes were full of smiles and tenderness.

Su Mengli withdrew her hand, her tone gradually becoming lighter and more relieved: "However, later when you took me on a business trip, although the process was very tactful and the reason you gave was a bit far-fetched..."

"Well, Miss Mengli, you can just say that the itinerary I arranged is terrible."

"Quiet down, Mr. Xiang Wen."

She recalled his clumsy attempts to comfort and accompany her, and her eyes warmed: "But I still felt your care, and I slowly came to understand."

Her smile became confident and bright, like the brightest moon in the night sky: "So what if I have talent? The important thing is that I did it, I did it through my own efforts, and I can do anything well."

As she spoke, she took a small step forward, closing the final distance between them.