X
‘A school sports festival, then…’ Having finished his morning reading, Zhong Tian found himself lost in thought at his desk.
Zhong Tian rather enjoyed the school sports festival.
Given his unique circumstance of cross-dressing, participating in either the boys’ or girls’ events seemed equally unsuitable. Consequently, his homeroom teacher had assigned him to the logistics team the previous year.
While the logistics team appeared to be burdened with extensive tasks and constant activity, in truth, once the initial preparations were complete and the various competitions commenced, one could readily find a quiet corner to discreetly relax and shirk duties.
Indeed, it offered the perfect opportunity to accumulate drafts, bolster his reserves, and approach the National Day’s bonus updates with greater ease.
A flawless plan!
With this realization, a wave of pleasantness washed over Zhong Tian. He stretched languidly, ready to embrace the morning’s lessons.
****
At precisely noon, Yu Yinlian was diligently typing away in her dormitory.
As of now—excluding today’s scheduled update—she had already accumulated six chapters in her draft folder.
Upon typing the final few words, she transferred the document to her phone using a data cable, subsequently returning to the real world to dispatch it to Zhong Tian.
It was lunchtime, and she wondered if Zhong Tian would be checking his phone.
Should he fail to respond, she resolved to make the trip herself.
After a wait of approximately three or four minutes, a reply finally arrived from Zhong Tian.
[Already sent it for you.]
[Okay! Thank you for your trouble, thanks!]
Having responded to Zhong Tian, and ever mindful of saving time, Yu Yinlian promptly retreated into the unobservable world.
****
Within the bustling cafeteria, Zhong Tian, having completely forgotten about Yu Yinlian’s existence, blinked slowly before his fingers glided across his phone screen, opening the “Man Tang” app.
He then navigated to his own work, “The Inarticulate Him and Her,” eager to ascertain its current level of popularity.
To his astonishment, it held the top position on the romance comedy section’s weekly chart, monthly chart, and even the coveted monthly ticket chart.
“Whoa…”
Zhong Tian was genuinely taken aback by his own achievements.
His previous manga’s performance, while commendable, had only ever been deemed ‘excellent’; it had likely graced the weekly or monthly charts on only a few occasions—otherwise, its compiled volume wouldn’t have been released so late into its serialization. This new work, however, was proving far more successful than Zhong Tian had ever dared to anticipate.
‘Could this be the true power of a novel-to-manga adaptation?’ he mused.
He cast a glance at Su Linxi, who sat beside him, and after a moment of consideration, finally spoke, “Linxi, the manga has become incredibly popular recently.”
“Mm.”
“It probably won’t be long before it gets a compiled volume release,” Zhong Tian continued. “Hmm… do you have any thoughts about that?”
“Yes,” Su Linxi affirmed, nodding as she finished her lunch and began tidying her dishes. “From the very outset, I intended for the manga to receive a compiled volume release.”
“And if all goes well, an anime adaptation will follow.”
“An anime adaptation?!”
Zhong Tian nearly dropped the spoon he held, his hand trembling slightly.
“Wait…” As if to confirm he hadn’t misheard, Zhong Tian reiterated his question, his voice laced with a tremor, “There are plans for an anime adaptation?”
“Yes,” Su Linxi replied, pulling out a tissue. She offered one to Zhong Tian before taking one for herself. “I secured a startup fund from my parents, which is more than sufficient to produce an anime.”
“Startup fund…”
“If things proceed smoothly,” Su Linxi explained, “this matter should be on the agenda in roughly one or two months. Should the initial reception prove favorable, we will continue with sequels until its full completion.”
“This…”
Zhong Tian found himself utterly speechless.
He had never once conceived that a manga he had drawn would ever, in his lifetime, receive an anime adaptation.
He had been thoroughly surprised to learn that “Leafage” would be getting a compiled volume, yet it seemed even greater surprises were still in store.
Zhong Tian drew a deep breath, willing his wildly thrumming heart to settle.
“This is truly astonishing…”
“Astonishing?” Su Linxi asked, her expression turning serious. “Producing an anime is an incredibly arduous endeavor. Don’t assume you’ll merely be an observer; you will also be actively involved in the anime adaptation, specifically in charge of supervising the production.”
“Huh? I don’t understand anything about anime.”
“Just kidding.”
Su Linxi’s expression and tone remained utterly unchanged as she delivered the joke, a trait Zhong Tian found rather unnerving.
Having been thoroughly startled, Zhong Tian found his composure entirely restored.
“Well then… I’m off to Ren’s dorm for a nap…”
“Okay.”
“See you this afternoon.”
“Alright, see you this afternoon.”
Zhong Tian placed his dishes into the designated recycling bin for “nutritious meals,” then exited the cafeteria, veered down a narrow path, and slipped into Li Jianren’s dormitory.
No sooner had he stepped through the door than he was met with a loud shout from Li Jianren.
“Ah—lost again—”
“…If you’ve lost, you’ve lost, no need to shout… Wait?”
A mental question mark materialized above Zhong Tian’s head as he fully entered the room.
Li Jianren, it turned out, wasn’t engrossed in his phone, but rather a sleek, impressive-looking laptop.
“You… why on earth did you buy a gaming laptop?”
“Hmph hmph, my phone simply can’t satisfy my needs anymore!”
“Internet… are you using a phone hotspot?”
“Of course.”
“And data usage comes free, does it?”
“If I can afford a gaming laptop, why would I concern myself with a mere bit of data?”
“Okay, makes sense.”
Zhong Tian had long given up on admonishing his friend to play fewer games; after all, Li Jianren’s academic performance never suffered, regardless of how much he gamed. With no discernible negative impact, Zhong Tian decided to let him be.
“Are you going to take a nap?”
“No, I’m not.”
“Then… can you control the volume later?”
“Absolutely, rest assured. I’ll zip my lips for you.”
Li Jianren made a zipping motion across his lips.
“Sticky Fingers, then.”
“Mm-hm.”
“Alright, I’m off to sleep. Good afternoon.”
****
Jiang Nanjin, too, opted to have her lunch outside the school premises.
It wasn’t that she disliked the cafeteria food; rather, she had little desire to endure the long queues. Moreover, with the cafeteria’s air conditioning currently under repair, the space became unbearably stuffy when crowded, a discomfort she found intolerable.
This particular milk tea shop, “Winter Flower,” offered not only affordable prices but also quite delectable snacks.
Deciding against going home for lunch today, she resolved to rest here instead.
‘What a pleasant discovery this shop is.’
‘Next time, I’ll invite everyone to come and relax here.’
Just as she was settling in for a brief rest, a new customer entered the shop.
The newcomer, clad in the uniform of Taisugi High School, immediately drew Jiang Nanjin’s gaze.
“Wu Rui?” Jiang Nanjin greeted him, “Good afternoon.”
“Oh, classmate Jiang Nanjin, good afternoon.”
Wu Rui responded with polite deference.
“You’re here to relax as well, then?”
“Um… actually, this is my family’s shop…”
“Ah? What a coincidence?”
Wu Rui nodded. “Considering its proximity to the school, it’s quite probable that students would frequent this place.”
“This is my first visit,” Jiang Nanjin remarked with a smile. “Both the milk tea and the snacks are truly excellent.”
“That’s good to hear, as long as you enjoy it.”
“Then that chubby boss is your dad.”
“He is,” Wu Rui confirmed. “If you chat with him a little longer, he might even give you a discount.”
“Oh? Is that so?”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Nanjin enthusiastically waved to the owner and called out, “Boss, your son and I are classmates!”
“Haha, I heard you, I heard you!” the plump owner boomed with laughter. “Next time you come, I’ll give you fifty percent off!”
“Such a big discount!”
“Indeed, do make sure to visit often!”
“Dad, I’m going upstairs to rest first.”
“Okay!”
****
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