Chapter 19: Hot Topic
Zane, the owner of a bookstore, enjoyed his routine of leaning on the cashier counter, watching high school girls come and go from his store.
Today was like any other day, and it was almost time for the nearby high school to let out.
He looked forward to comparing the legs of the girls as they passed by.
However, just then, he thought he heard the sound of many footsteps.
Looking up and out the door, he was startled.
What was going on? Had the boyfriends of those girls he ogled found out and come to beat him up?
It wasn't strange for him to be scared; outside, there were about ten male students looking quite intimidating.
He felt a sudden urge to call the police.
"Boss! Give me a copy of Picca Comics!"
"Boss, I want the latest issue of Picca Comics too!"
"Me too!"
These words made Zane's hand, which had been reaching for his phone, relax.
"What's going on?" Zane wondered. It was just an ordinary Tuesday, nothing special.
These students were here to buy Picca Comics?
He knew about Picca Comics, which hadn't been selling well recently. He hadn't sold many copies yesterday, so why were so many students suddenly showing up today?
Thinking back, there had been a few customers in the morning looking for this comic too.
"Are all of you here for Picca Comics?" Zane asked again to make sure.
"Of course, hurry up, boss. If the teacher finds us, it'll be bad," one of the students said, a sentiment that resonated with the crowd: "Yeah, boss, I can't wait to see what 'Your Name' is all about!"
"My name?" Zane was momentarily puzzled, wondering why these students were interested in his name, but he didn't ask. Following the principle that the customer is always right, he said, "My surname is Zhou, called Zhou..."
"Who wants to know your name?" One of the students impatiently waved his hand, "I'm talking about the name of the comic, 'Your Name'! Stop wasting time and get the Picca Comics!"
"Ah, oh!" With a confused air, Zane quickly brought out the latest issue of Picca Comics.
The trend continued, with many students visiting his shop, all asking about Picca Comics.
Unfortunately, he had ordered too few copies of Picca Comics, and they sold out quickly.
"Sorry, there are no more Picca Comics available. Would you like to check out Joyboy instead? It's one of the top five, quality guaranteed!" Zane recommended to a young girl in front of him.
"That won't do." The girl waved her hand dismissively and walked out looking dejected: "Everyone's talking about 'Your Name' today."
Hearing her words, Zane's mouth twitched, feeling that something was off.
However, he didn't say much and instead became curious.
After running a bookstore for so many years, he had never seen so many people inquire about a non-top-five comic, which sparked his interest.
"I want to see what 'Your Name' is really about."
Thinking this, he reached under the counter and pulled out a copy of Picca Comics he had cleverly reserved for himself.
Good thing he was quick-witted.
Noticing that the situation was unusual earlier, he had secretly set aside a copy for himself; otherwise, he wouldn't have had one to read.
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From the next day on, various websites and social media platforms started buzzing about 'Your Name.'
Some of the promotions were spontaneous endorsements from readers like Claire, while others were from influencers hired by Jada.
The editorial office of Picca Comics was filled with joy from the second day after the magazine's release.
Feedback from major bookstores indicated that their sales had significantly rebounded compared to the first day.
This gave everyone at the editorial office hope that Picca Comics might be recovering from several periods of decline.
Indeed, that was the case.
By the fourth day, numerous bookstores were calling to place pre-orders, prompting Picca Comics to print an additional 70,000 copies. On the fifth day, under pressure from bookstores, another 40,000 copies were printed to barely meet the demand.
Many former readers were returning!
Although it was still far from its peak, everyone in the editorial office was content.
Getting the magazine back to its peak sales wasn't going to happen overnight.
It was only the first issue! As more issues were distributed, sales were sure to gradually improve.
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That evening at Jada's home
As soon as Jada arrived home, she saw Ren busily cooking in the kitchen.
"Ren, I have great news! Your comic is a hit!"
Her voice trembled with excitement.
From the comments left on their official website and the feedback received, it was clear that readers were captivated by Ren's
'Your Name.'
"Really? That's great."
Ren responded nonchalantly from the kitchen.
Having seen the popularity of 'Your Name' in his previous life and confident in his artistic skills, he had a good feeling about this comic's success.
Though it was a different world, the appeal of a good story was universal, and he trusted this work would shine here too.
However, what concerned him now wasn't so much his success, but what Jada was holding.
"What's in that bag?"
Seeing Ren's indifference to his own work, Jada rolled her eyes and replied, "Letters from your readers."
She then dumped the letters on the floor, and as Ren looked bewildered at the pile, she confirmed, "All for you."
"What should I do with them?" Ren was unsure, not having dealt with so many letters before.
"Do you reply to a few, or just handle it however you feel? There'll be a lot more to come, and you can't reply to them all," Jada shrugged.
"Really?" Relieved, Ren nodded, "Then I'll just deal with them."
Managing all those letters seemed daunting, and he wasn't inclined to respond.
"Go call Yuyue for dinner," Ren smiled at Jada, "I made something delicious."
He had been keeping an eye on the comic's performance, and with the last day boosting sales, he decided to cook a celebratory meal.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone