Chapter 395: Return
Dawn Assassin was thus launched in major bookstores across the country for its first round of sales. Perhaps because it had been outdated for too long, Shion-sensei’s new work was not taken seriously by the officials. The first printing was 40,000 copies, which was really not enough for a god-tier author. But before this, Shion-sensei’s name had often been on Weibo, and the character design manuscript of the novel Dawn Assassin had also been leaked. Plus, Shion-sensei was revealed to be a possible best friend of Fang Jiangning, Little Na. It could be said that she had earned enough heat.
On the first day of its release, ten thousand copies were sold, which could be said to be quite good. This was a situation that Shion-sensei had not seen in a long time.
Generally speaking, the first three days after a novel is published are an important standard for determining the future trend of its popularity. In today’s era of a developed internet, the reputation of a work can easily spread online, so the first three days of its release are very important. Yu Linna also had no full confidence that her work would be a big hit. She could only pray that her work would not flop.
After the third day of its release, the reputation of Dawn Assassin finally spread online. On the third day, it was completely sold out. The printing factory urgently reprinted 60,000 copies, but it was clearly not enough. As Shion-sensei’s first work to be told from a female protagonist’s perspective, it could be said to be a work of transformation, and also a brand new attempt for her.
Dawn Assassin tells the story of a former chief assassin who, after being ambushed, loses her memory and settles down on a small island as a teacher, only remembering that her name is Xiaoye, and nothing else. She plans to live an ordinary life on the island for the rest of her life. Suddenly one day, her former companions break into the small island, shattering her life. From then on, her peaceful life collapses, and at the end of the volume, it is revealed that her real name is actually Jing Xiaoye, the strongest assassin in the world, but she herself does not remember all this.
The illustrations of this novel were also very exquisite, continuing Shion-sensei’s usual style. But unlike Ballad of the Enchantress, this time she did not play with a refined and beautiful art style, but with a moe art style. It had to be said that the transformation was quite successful. It was worth mentioning that in the frontispiece, there were two character designs of the female lead, Jing Xiaoye. One was an illustration of her as an assassin, with a single ponytail, holding a Tang knife, her eyes fierce. The other was a character design of her as a teacher after losing her memory, with long black straight hair, a gentle smile on her face. It could be said to be two different styles, but they were unexpectedly a good match. In short, the character design was very successful.
Because Dawn Assassin had a good start in sales, Wenqing’s side also urgently made a congratulatory poster to create momentum for this novel on Weibo. The 60,000 copies that had been reprinted were sold out on the seventh day. The printing factory had no choice but to reprint again, which was another story.
“What a heartwarming story! It turns out that being a teacher is so great!”
“Fiona, I finally understand. An assassin’s abilities have a limit, unless you can surpass the existence of an assassin.”
“What on earth are you talking about, Xiaoye?”
“I’m not going to be an assassin anymore!”
“2333, are you guys playing a meme? So funny.”
“It’s good to look at, and the fight scenes are also great, but why did you have to let that terminally ill little girl die? Shion-sensei, you’re still black when you’re cut open, haven’t changed at all! I thought you had turned over a new leaf!”
“It’s alright. Compared to before, I think this is quite funny. By the way, is there really no male protagonist? I quite like the yuri story of Xiaoye and her subordinate, Fiona.”
“Urging for updates, urging for updates, urging for updates! What the hell is this? It’s been a long time since I’ve had this feeling!”
Looking at it, there were very few bad reviews, almost all of them good.
Speaking of which, when Yu Linna was writing this novel, she had also referred to the script she had written before, The Big Sister Head is a Teacher. There, she had also moved a few of the originally scrapped settings, and then perfected them, and so Dawn Assassin was completed. Although the name sounded very domineering, this was essentially a heartwarming story, with some meaning interspersed in it, which could also be considered a small easter egg.
Unlike the situation with Ballad of the Enchantress before, this time Dawn Assassin had almost all good reviews. Even if there were bad reviews, it didn’t have much of an impact. This was Shion-sensei’s victory after a year.
On the Weibo hot search, “Shion-sensei is back” was at the top of the list. Her popularity was excellent. All the trends indicated that Shion-sensei was officially making a king’s return, in a brand new attitude.
“About a year ago, Shion-sensei was still the king. Later, after the failure of the Ballad of the Enchantress animation, his state was getting worse and worse, and he could no longer produce good works. Now, Shion-sensei is back. He once again declares to everyone that your big brother is still your big brother.”
“I’m so happy! As a fan of Shion-sensei, he has finally proven himself again!”
“Wuwuwu, I’m crying to death! It’s really not been easy for a year! Shion-sensei, congratulations!”
“Welcome back!”
“What an inspirational life! To return like a king after a low point. What hurdle in life can’t be overcome! When you are disappointed, please think of Shion-sensei!”
When Yu Linna opened Weibo, it was a lively place. All of it was about Shion-sensei. It could be seen that her popularity was really quite strong.
But…
There was also some more troublesome content.
“Actually, I want to say, Shion-sensei should be Yu Linna, right? Although she hasn’t admitted it, I feel it’s very possible.”
“Please come out and explain! @Wenqing Official V.”
Although Yu Linna seemed to have successfully turned things around, there was a lot of content about her true identity online. It had gotten to the point where Yu Linna had no choice but to wear a mask, sunglasses, and a baseball cap when she went out. She didn’t dare to be careless for a moment, for fear of being recognized. Now she finally understood the troubles of being famous.
…
Chen Xi was waiting for her at the appointed coffee shop. Seeing Yu Linna’s fully armed appearance, she couldn’t help but think of the former Air-sensei. When she had first become famous, she was also like this. It really made one nostalgic.
“Shion-sensei, congratulations on the great success of your new book. You’ve really opened my eyes. I just believed you could do it.”
Chen Xi served her the coffee and cake she had ordered, a smile on her face.
Yu Linna took off her mask and lowered her head, unable to help but smile wryly. She really hadn’t expected that after so long, at this time last year, she had still been immersed in the joy of success, becoming more and more arrogant. Later, she had fallen from the altar, dejected. Everyone had thought she would sink just like that. Who would have thought that she would return again?
A year had passed, and her mentality was long since different. In the past, she might have been happy, would have been arrogant, and would even have stubbornly believed that she was everything. But now, she was only calm. Really, she was already very calm about this. Perhaps only after experiencing the bottom of failure would she understand that all of this was so natural. She had no need to be immersed in joy, nor did she need to be arrogant and conceited. Life is like this, with wins and losses. No one can dominate everything. Only one’s own attitude determines one’s own life.
She would no longer be stubborn, nor would she be arrogant and conceited. She had already seen through many things. After a great storm, there was only a calm sea. Yu Linna had already accepted all of this. In the future, even if it was the pain of failure, she could swallow it. The joy of success, she would also share. She was no longer alone.
“Sister Chen, thank you.”
The person she wanted to thank the most was still her editor, Chen Xi.
“What are you thanking me for? I haven’t helped you with anything.”
“Sister Chen, you’ve helped me a lot. Without you, I couldn’t have written this. Sister Chen, you fought for me to get the opportunity to go to Japan. You also cooked for me, and tried your best to satisfy me in my life. To be honest, I’m very happy that you could do so much for me. This time is also the same. If it weren’t for Sister Chen helping me fight for it in front of the Wenqing editors, I might not even have had a chance to be published. The success of this book is also your credit, Sister Chen. Today, please let me treat you.”
It was the first time Chen Xi had heard her say so much, and it was all sincere thanks. Chen Xi was a little unaccustomed to it. If it were that little bastard Zhao Yuyan, she would definitely be arrogant at this time, saying things like “I must be a genius.” But Yu Linna was completely different. She was very calm and natural about success.
This little girl had really changed.
Chen Xi smiled.
She never would have thought that she would also have a day when she was thanked. Among all the authors she had edited for, Shion-sensei was the first to say thank you to her.
“Shion-sensei, you have what you have today because of your own hard work. Even when you fell to the bottom and might never be able to climb back up, you never thought of giving up. Everyone laughed at you for being an outdated author, for never being able to return to your peak. It was you who told everyone that this was not the end. Shion-sensei, I think it’s a matter of course that this work was successful.”
Yes, Chen Xi had watched her come this far. From the very beginning of the national singer competition, she had been paying attention to her, waiting for her to enter the novel circle, and then watching her grow bit by bit. She had seen Yu Linna when she was down and out, when she was glorious, when she had fallen from the altar, when she was dejected, and when she had created glory again. Yu Linna was like her child. She had watched her grow bit by bit, creating a path that no one else could copy.
So what if she was denied by others? So what if she had peaked at her debut? She could still create glory again. Her end point was far from being just this simple.
“Sister Chen, don’t say that. In any case, you are still the best editor I have ever met. You have helped me. I will not forget this. In the future, I will always be at Wenqing. As long as you are here, I will never leave.”
Chen Xi was stunned for a moment, smiled, and gently drank a sip of coffee.
This kind of confession-like words, it was quite happy to hear. If it were for this little girl author, she felt that anything she did was worth it. As long as Chen Xi was still at Wenqing for a day, she would not let Shion-sensei leave.
She still wanted to continue to be her editor, to see what peak this child could reach. She felt that Shion-sensei could definitely do it. She believed in her so much.
Shion-sensei would create her own era. Chen Xi had no doubt about this. She had no basis, nor did she know where the courage came from, but she just felt that if it were Shion-sensei, she could definitely do it.
“For the second volume, please keep up the good work. I look forward to you creating glory again.”
“Sister Chen, do you think I can be considered to have returned to the ranks of the great gods now?”
She said carefully. Chen Xi was stunned for a moment, and then smiled.
She reached out and patted Yu Linna’s head, and said with a smile.
“In my heart, you have always been a god-tier author. You have never changed.”
Yes, always, never changed. In Chen Xi’s heart, Shion-sensei was already the most outstanding author, more outstanding than anyone else. After all, she had been brought up by her single-handedly, enough for her to be proud for a lifetime.
In the future, she would continue to be her editor. Chen Xi still wanted to see what peak she could reach. No matter where she went, Chen Xi would surely be watching her. She believed that if it were Yu Linna, she could surely go to any place in the world.
