Chapter 165: New Book Promotion
Yu Linna was prone to overthinking, but she often found her instincts to be correct. This time, she felt a profound sense of despair.
If she had been unwanted from the start, sold off by her own parents, what was the point of her existence? Brought into this world without love… did her life even have meaning?
She couldn’t understand.
She felt lost.
Meanwhile, Tang Yumeng was busy discussing work with the director. After the auditions, Director Wang had decided to cast her as the male protagonist’s ex-girlfriend, a welcome opportunity for the struggling actress.
After the initial excitement, she rushed back to check on Yu Linna, who was sitting on the sofa, seemingly unfazed. No, not unfazed; she looked completely different from when they arrived.
“Linna… let’s go.”
“Okay.”
Yu Linna’s flat tone worried Tang Yumeng. She had been fine earlier; what had happened?
She regretted bringing Yu Linna along, knowing she might encounter someone from Chenghe.
On their way back, Yu Linna was unusually quiet, only responding when spoken to. Tang Yumeng was worried.
Yu Linna insisted she was fine, but Tang Yumeng didn’t believe her.
Yu Linna remained silent, her thoughts elsewhere, until they reached her apartment. She opened her computer, checking her illustrations, and saw a message from Chen Xi on QQ.
Chen Xi: Shion-sensei, the cover and illustrations are finalized. Ballad of the Enchantress will be officially released in April. You can start promoting it on Weibo. Since you’re a newcomer, and you’re not revealing your face, there’s not much to… sensationalize, so I suggest including some spoilers in your promotions.
Chen Xi: Also, we’re discussing the publication date for Zixuan and the Paper Airplane. I’m aiming for a June release, with you handling the illustrations.
Chen Xi: Are you there? Please respond.
Seeing the message, sent an hour ago, Yu Linna realized she should start carrying her phone and checking QQ regularly.
Shion: Hello, Sister Chen. I’ll start promoting it on Weibo, including some spoilers and sample chapters.
Chen Xi: You finally replied! Post the sample chapters about a week before the release to generate interest. We’ll also promote your novel on Wenqing’s official Weibo account.
Shion: Okay.
Yu Linna leaned back in her chair, staring at the ceiling, realizing she wasn’t completely alone. She still had a place in this world.
“I’m a novelist…”
Yes, she hadn’t been completely abandoned.
Though seemingly unwanted, she had her writing, her stories. She wasn’t completely worthless.
Even if her parents didn’t want her, her novels did. She wasn’t alone.
The thought comforted her. Even if she was unwanted, as long as she had her writing, she wasn’t alone.
“I have my novels…”
She hugged her knees, burying her face in them, muttering the words like a child finding their way home.
She began promoting her upcoming novel, her Weibo account, usually inactive, now filled with updates, all related to her book. She posted almost daily, building anticipation for its release.
“Ballad of the Enchantress will be officially released on April 3rd, with the e-book version simultaneously available on Wenqing’s official website. Please support it! Spoilers and sneak peeks are already available. Are the male and female protagonists destined for love, or will they be lost in the currents of the future? Find out in Ballad of the Enchantress, Volume One!”
She included images of sample chapters, a common marketing tactic to attract readers.
“‘Hello, what’s your name?’ ‘I’m Xie Anqi, you uncouth fool.’ She was a strange girl, incredibly beautiful, captivating. There are things more beautiful than flowers.”
The spoilers seemed to be working, generating interest among Weibo users.
“Checking in! Curious about this year’s Gold Award winner. My wallet is ready.”
“This spoiler is intriguing. Seems like a romance.”
“Not a harem? Boring. Pass.”
“Not a comedy either, unlike last year’s winner, Air. Is this Shion writing a pure romance?”
“Doesn’t seem like it. The synopsis clearly states it’s a time-travel novel, probably soft sci-fi, about a guy showing off in the future and falling in love with the female protagonist.”
“The tone seems serious. I hope it’s not too angsty…”
“Don’t worry, Wenqing wouldn’t publish something so depressing. It’s definitely a comedy.”
“Exactly! Light novels are meant to be lighthearted, not depressing.”
Discussions about the novel spread on Weibo, the marketing campaign successful in generating buzz. Shion, the newcomer, continued posting daily spoilers and sneak peeks, piquing readers’ interest, leaving them wanting more.
Though the exact plot remained unclear, the tone suggested a serious, perhaps even action-oriented, story with a romantic subplot.
Yu Linna’s dedication to promoting her novel surprised even Chen Xi, who hadn’t expected her to be so proactive, her usual demeanor rather reserved.
Seeing Yu Linna’s efforts, Zhao Yuyan, as her senior, felt obligated to help, posting on her own Weibo account.
“My junior’s new novel, Ballad of the Enchantress, is coming out soon! Please support it! The author has been posting spoilers and sneak peeks, so check them out if you’re interested. I’ve already read the entire book; it’s an amazing story! Other novels, beware! This will be a tough competitor!”
Zhao Yuyan’s post surprised her fans. The queen of procrastination, promoting someone else’s book? It was big news.
With the influx of Zhao Yuyan’s fans, Ballad of the Enchantress gained even more attention, becoming a trending topic on Weibo. People also noticed the seemingly close relationship between Air and Shion; Air rarely promoted other authors’ works, let alone with such high praise. They must be close.
So, what was their relationship?
“Are Air and Shion lovers?”
“Is it really that dramatic?”
“But the way Air is promoting their book… it seems suspicious.”
“Maybe they’re relatives.”
“Perhaps siblings.”
“Incest is wincest?”
Speculations about their relationship ran wild, though few guessed correctly. If they could, they wouldn’t be netizens; they would be detectives.
Zhao Yuyan’s high-profile promotion angered Chen Xi, who reprimanded her, telling her to tone it down, to be more subtle. But Zhao Yuyan brushed it off.
Yu Linna, watching her novel gain traction, her heart filled with a quiet satisfaction. She wasn’t worthless; she had a place in this world.
She wasn’t alone.
She took out the worn notebook she had kept hidden in her drawer for years, the one with her name on it, its pages yellowed with age.
Now that she had found her place, her purpose, she no longer needed to know who her parents were. She could finally… let go.
They didn’t want her anyway.
With that thought, she held the notebook, her hands gripping the corners, ready to tear it, to sever the last tie to her unknown past.
If there was no love from the start, there was no need to cling to it.
She began to tear…
But she stopped.
She wanted to tear it, but she couldn’t, her hands frozen, unwilling to damage the fragile pages. Was this notebook really that important? She had no information about her parents; knowing her name was useless. This notebook… it served no purpose.
It should have been easy.
Why couldn’t she do it?
“…”
Yu Linna put the notebook away, locking it in her drawer, unable to destroy it, a part of her unwilling to let go. She would keep it, a familiar comfort, a habit she couldn’t break.
She was truly a contradiction.
Wanting to let go, yet unable to.
Yearning for love, yet wanting to sever her attachments.
She sighed, pushing those thoughts aside.
She continued promoting her novel, posting spoilers and sneak peeks for her readers.
But her smiles became less frequent, her silence more pronounced.
When she returned to school, Fang Jiangning noticed something was different, a subtle shift in her demeanor, a realization that the Yu Linna she knew was gone.
