Chapter 9: Midnight Mandate

“Mmm…”

Zhong Tian stretched languidly, his hand casually dropping the ice cream stick into the waste bin.

The manuscript was finally complete, leaving him utterly exhausted.

Having returned home from Li Jianren’s place at half-past eight, he had been racing against the clock to finish the draft, and now the hour was nearly midnight.

When it came to drafting speed, he mused, he must be considered quite swift for a semi-professional cartoonist, having completed twenty-one pages in just three days—it was truly remarkable.

If he continued to overwork himself at this pace, he feared his hairline might recede all the way to the crown of his head.

He decided to send the file to his editor the following day.

Though, it might still require a few revisions.

A weary sigh escaped his lips.

This comic, he reflected, had been serialized in `Man Tang` for nearly two years now. As he retrieved a box of lemon tea from the mini-fridge in his room, he considered its popularity, which remained rather stagnant. While `Man Tang` itself was quite popular, his personal fanbase…

Seemed virtually nonexistent.

A few of his classmates regularly read `Man Tang`, yet scarcely any of them followed the artist known as `Ke Zhong`.

A pang of heartache struck him.

Still, he conceded, it was ultimately due to the decline of physical publications, especially comic magazines.

He vaguely recalled his editor mentioning that a digital version of his comic was in preparation, seemingly slated for release alongside its collected volume.

The mere thought of having to draw bonus content for the collected volume sent a familiar ache through Zhong Tian’s very being (TL Note: ‘Gāntòng’ literally means ‘liver pain,’ but in Chinese slang, it refers to the feeling of being overwhelmed or stressed from overworking, similar to a ‘headache’ or ‘stomachache’ when under pressure).

Nevertheless, if it could be serialized concurrently on a website, he reasoned, its popularity would likely see a significant boost.

Zhong Tian found himself repeatedly chewing on the straw of his lemon tea, a habit he always indulged in when deep in thought.

Ultimately, though, popularity wasn’t all that crucial; his initial intention for drawing this comic had simply been to find joy in the process. With the series nearing its conclusion, he figured, its modest popularity was perfectly acceptable.

‘Who cares!’

Leaping from his chair, Zhong Tian fell backward onto the bed. As he luxuriated in the soft embrace of the mattress, a wave of drowsiness swiftly enveloped him.

He swiped open his phone screen, intending to scroll through a couple of videos before drifting off to sleep.

*Click—*

Before he could even open Bilibili, his bedroom door abruptly swung open, making Zhong Tian jump in surprise.

“Sis… is something wrong?”

Standing in the doorway, a woman in a shirt and shorts regarded him with a pair of vacant, ‘dead fish eyes’ (TL Note: A slang term describing eyes that appear dull and lifeless), her arms crossed over her chest.

When it came to their appearance, the siblings were, in fact, almost perfect mirror images of each other.

From their exquisite features and those characteristic ‘dead fish eyes’ to the single, stubborn cowlick atop their heads, every detail was uncannily similar.

The sole distinctions lay in Zhong Jing’s slightly more valiant aura, her greater height, and her longer hair. It was, rather unfortunately, true: her younger brother possessed a softer appearance, while she, his older sister, exuded a more dashing charm.

“…Go buy me a cola.”

Zhong Jing uttered the command with an air of detachment, and almost immediately, Zhong Tian’s WeChat chimed with a transfer notification from his sister. She then turned and departed, settling back into the living room, where she propped her long legs up to watch television.

“…It’s already this late, and you’re still drinking cola?” Zhong Tian sighed, a hint of exasperation in his voice. “When will you ever change these habits, Sis?”

“…”

Resigned, Zhong Tian slipped on his shoes and headed out.

****

The convenience store wasn’t far from his home, a mere two-minute stroll, yet the path was shrouded in deep darkness due to the absence of streetlights. He knew he needed to remain vigilant, as an accidental misstep onto something unforeseen could prove unpleasant.

He recalled that when he first moved into this neighborhood, there had been talk of installing new streetlights, yet they remained uninstalled to this day. ‘What kind of efficiency is that?’ he grumbled inwardly.

And, to make matters worse, his own sister harbored a fear of the dark.

While Zhong Jing typically maintained a composed demeanor, appearing utterly unruffled even if the sky were to fall, she was, in truth, quite timid. She feared the dark, was terrified of ghosts, and even possessed a peculiar sensitivity to thunder.

However, her expression remained remarkably unchanged even when startled, leading those around her to mistakenly believe she was always perfectly calm.

Had Zhong Tian not possessed the uncanny ability to read minds, he would never have discerned this hidden facet of her personality.

Consequently, once night fell, the weighty task of running errands invariably fell upon his shoulders.

Zhong Tian swiftly purchased two large bottles of cola, cradling them as he made his way back home.

‘This should certainly last her a good two or three days,’ he mused.

*Buzz—*

“Hmm?”

Zhong Tian set down the colas and retrieved his phone.

His editor’s WeChat message?

[Are you currently in Taishan City?]

Zhong Tian quickly typed a reply: “Yes, I am… Is something wrong, Editor? Also, I’ve already completed the manuscript!”

[I’m not calling to rush your work; I just have something I need to discuss with you.]

“What is it?”

[In a few days, a large-scale comic convention, jointly organized, will be held in Haibin City. All cartoonists are strongly encouraged to attend.]

“Hmm? What would I be doing at a comic convention?”

[We’re hosting an offline autograph session for `Man Tang`.]

An autograph session, huh… that sounds like such a hassle.

“Can I perhaps… not go? I might be a bit busy…”

His claim of being busy was, of course, a fabrication; Zhong Tian simply had no desire to trek to an overcrowded comic convention on such a sweltering day.

Moreover, he didn’t even have much to sign for an autograph session.

[No, you must attend. This marks the inaugural release of your collected volume.]

“Huh?”

“Why is the collected volume suddenly being released for the first time?”

[Because your comic ranked first in the magazine for the past two months, the collected volume and digital edition were fast-tracked onto the schedule,] the editor explained. [And by the way, the digital version has already been updating synchronously for several weeks now.]

“Huh??”

“Why am I completely oblivious to all this news…?”

[Because I’ve already taken care of everything for you. Your only responsibility is to draw. After all, you’re still a student, so it’s best to leave the operational aspects to us adults.]

‘So that’s how it is…’

In that case, he realized, there was no escaping it.

“Well, thank you, Editor.”

His editor sent a sticker of a cat raising its paw, conveying a playful “You’re welcome.”

“So, when exactly are we setting off?” Zhong Tian inquired. “I’ll need to prepare beforehand.”

[The morning after tomorrow,] the editor replied. [Please send me your address, and I’ll drive to pick you up then.]

“Alright, thank you for the trouble, Editor.”

Zhong Tian tucked his phone away, gathered the two bottles of cola, and resumed his walk home.

Upon arriving home, Zhong Tian placed one bottle of cola before Zhong Jing and tucked the other into the refrigerator.

Zhong Jing gazed at the three-liter bottle of cola, a silent moment passing between them.

“What’s wrong?”

“…Next time, remember to buy canned ones.”

“Canned ones? But these are far more economical…”

“The canned ones taste significantly better.”

“Oh? Is that right?”

“Go wash a cup for me.”

“…”

‘How is she so adept at ordering people around…’