Chapter 184: June
June arrived, bringing with it sweltering heat and the incessant buzzing of cicadas. The scorching sun and mounting pressure were the hallmarks of senior year, the gaokao less than ten days away, the tension palpable. Everyone hoped to achieve a high score, to realize their university dreams. Of course, some weren’t concerned about their future, either because they weren’t planning to attend university, were indifferent to the outcome, or were simply confident in their abilities.
Shion’s popularity had waned, the April hype fading, the online forums quieting down, even some members leaving the fan groups, only the most dedicated remaining, patiently awaiting their idol’s next work.
And in June, Shion’s new novel, Zixuan and the Paper Airplane, was finally released.
The launch was a success, the popularity of Ballad of the Enchantress carrying over, readers pre-ordering the book, some even lining up at bookstores. The pre-release buzz was largely due to Shion’s name and the success of their previous novel.
On release day, seven thousand copies were sold out of the initial print run of ten thousand, a promising start.
However, by the third day, the initial excitement waned, replaced by a wave of criticism, mostly from male readers.
“What a waste of money! This novel is garbage! So boring!”
“This is so disappointing! Is this really the same author who wrote Ballad of the Enchantress? No romance, no action, just… family drama? So pointless!”
“Terrible! One star!”
“Can’t the protagonist, Tang Yu, at least get a girlfriend?”
“So boring! One star!”
“The only interesting character is the female teacher. The rest of the male characters… who cares about them? A light novel without any cute girls? Is that even a light novel? One star!”
Wenqing hadn’t anticipated the negative reaction, the flood of one-star reviews impacting sales, regardless of their validity.
Some readers expressed their disappointment, the novel’s style and themes a stark departure from Ballad of the Enchantress, the focus on the protagonist’s son overshadowing everything else.
It couldn’t be helped; Wenqing’s readership was primarily male, and a heartwarming family drama wasn’t what they expected.
By the fourth day, sales had plummeted, and Wenqing was starting to panic, considering asking Shion to make a public appearance, to promote the novel, to appease the disgruntled fans.
Then, on the fifth day, things took an unexpected turn.
Bookstores were suddenly flooded with female customers, mostly middle and high school students, demanding copies of Zixuan and the Paper Airplane, the sales figures rebounding.
The majority of these new readers were female, ranging from middle school to university students, their reason for buying the novel simple: they were touched by the story.
“I don’t understand all the negative reviews. I think it’s a wonderful story! Both Tang Yu and Tang Zixuan are great characters! The portrayal of their father-son relationship, the exploration of family… it’s so heartwarming! Why the one-star reviews? As someone from a traditional Chinese family, I think this is one of the best depictions of family I’ve ever read. Of course, I’m only referring to commercial novels.”
“I agree! It’s so touching! The ending, where Tang Yu finally puts down his alcohol and works hard for his son, just so he can have a new schoolbag… it made me cry! And you guys call this boring? Does a novel need beautiful girls to be good?”
“I cried so much! Tang Zixuan’s mother is so amazing! Raising a child alone, working so hard, then dying from illness… I initially disliked Tang Yu, but seeing him change his ways, I’ve become a fan! Shion-sensei, I’m officially your fan!”
“I’m a girl too, and I initially read it for the father-son dynamic, but I didn’t expect to cry! I cried reading a light novel!”
“Wenqing novels used to be all about mindless harems and unrealistic female characters. But Zixuan and the Paper Airplane… it’s so heartwarming! This isn’t just a mindless distraction for male readers; it’s a gift for female readers! It’s amazing! I’m going to start buying Wenqing novels from now on!”
The online sentiment shifted.
No one had expected the influx of female readers, their purchases boosting sales, proving the male critics wrong. Who said the novel was boring? The female readers would gladly defend their favorite author.
And even the more rational male readers, after rereading the novel with a more open mind, began to appreciate its nuances, its subtle beauty, like a fine tea, its flavor revealed only with careful savoring.
However, the haters persisted, their negative comments sparking online debates, the female fans, usually quiet and reserved, now fiercely defending their beloved novel.
And so, another online war began.
Thanks to this controversy, Shion trended again.
Celebrities, seeing Shion’s name trending yet again, were exasperated. Seriously? Trending again? We work so hard to promote ourselves, to create buzz, even hiring bots, and yet you, a novelist, are more popular than us?!
It was another victory for Shion.
Zixuan and the Paper Airplane ultimately sold over forty thousand copies, a resounding success.
And more importantly, sixty percent of the readers were female, a testament to the novel’s appeal among female readers.
Unlike Ballad of the Enchantress, a story of bittersweet love, Zixuan and the Paper Airplane was a simple, heartwarming tale of family and connection.
Serializing two novels simultaneously was already demanding, and to write two completely different genres, both successful, attracting a demographic Wenqing had never reached before…
Female readers.
Wenqing’s readership had always been predominantly male, the few female readers a negligible minority. They had attempted to attract more female readers, to diversify their audience, but without much success. Though Air had attracted some female readers, the numbers were insignificant compared to Shion’s.
“Wow, the group chat is so active! Shion-sensei still hasn’t joined?”
“No luck finding Shion-sensei’s QQ. Does anyone know it? I’ll pay ten thousand yuan for it!”
“If I could get Shion-sensei’s QQ, I would pay a hundred thousand!”
“Where’s Smoke? Our only female admin? Where did she go?”
“Isn’t she preparing for the gaokao? She won’t be online for a while.”
“Speaking of the gaokao, Shion-sensei is also taking the exams, right?”
“Yes! Let’s send them our best wishes on Weibo!”
“Good idea!”
“+1”
The QQ group chat was buzzing with excitement, Shion’s new novel reigniting their passion. Before the release of Ballad of the Enchantress, they had been skeptical, previous New Talent Award winners often disappointing.
But Shion had proven their worth, their Gold Award well-deserved.
Two successful novels, both popular, and attracting a new demographic for Wenqing: female readers. It was unprecedented.
The group chat was now flooded with requests from female readers, a testament to Shion’s growing popularity.
And Shion’s Weibo account was filled with messages of support and good luck for the upcoming exams.
“Shion-sensei, good luck on the gaokao! I’ll be waiting for you at Zhejiang University! You have to come!”
“Shion-sensei, good luck on the gaokao! I’ll be waiting for you in Beijing!”
“Shion-sensei, good luck on the gaokao! I’ll be waiting for you at Southwest University!”
“Shion-sensei, good luck on the gaokao! I’ll be waiting for you in Shenzhen!”
“Shion-sensei, good luck on the gaokao! I’ll be waiting for you in Guangnan!”
The official, VIP-verified Weibo account remained silent, the last post still the promotional material for Ballad of the Enchantress from March, but the comments section was overflowing with messages.
Yu Linna, however, was completely offline, immersed in her studies, oblivious to the online buzz.
The gaokao was less than a week away, the culmination of a year of intense preparation, the final test of their endurance.
“The exams are tomorrow. Are you nervous?”
Ye Zhiyun called Yu Linna the day before the gaokao.
“Not really. I’m confident in my abilities. I should get a good score.”
“Me too. I’m also confident.”
“Then let’s both wish each other good luck.”
“I’m not worried about the score. I’ll get into a university, somewhere. I just… want to go where I want to go.”
“Where do you want to go?”
“It’s a secret.”
“So mysterious.”
Ending the call, Yu Linna stood on her balcony, gazing at the city lights, the stars twinkling in the night sky. Tomorrow, she would face the biggest challenge of her life, a turning point, a new beginning. Though her future remained uncertain, she wouldn’t let herself have any regrets.
Youth came only once; she would cherish it, embrace the struggle, the challenges, the journey. A life without struggle was meaningless.
She smiled, looking up at the stars, a path unfolding before her, a path towards greater heights, a path that might be difficult, but one she would walk to the end, her resolve unwavering.
She was Yu Linna, and she was destined for greatness.
