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Chen Zhiyuan, who was in the lounge, only paused slightly when a staff member came in and whispered the name "Zhao Sisi".

Was it unexpected? A little.

But that was all. That name and everything associated with it no longer stirred any emotion in his heart.

His expression remained unchanged, and he replied calmly, "We're not familiar with them. Please ask them to line up according to the rules."

Then he waved for the staff to handle it, and his attention returned to Wu Shuhan's explanation of the event details.

This incident was like a pebble thrown into a deep pool; it didn't even cause a ripple in his heart.

Soon, the time pointed to 10:00 AM.

Outside the Xinhua Bookstore, the long queue not only didn't shorten, but actually grew longer due to the constant influx of new book lovers. The atmosphere was so lively and enthusiastic that the nearby police station dispatched officers to help maintain order and direct traffic.

The bookstore's lobby on the first floor was packed with people.

A large crowd gathered in front of the makeshift stage.

Wu Shuhan, vice president of Jiangnan Publishing Group, personally served as the host. Holding the microphone, he enthusiastically thanked all the book fans on behalf of the group and introduced the brilliant achievements of "Those Things of the Ming Dynasty", speaking for a full ten minutes.

Finally, he took a deep breath and announced with the loudest enthusiasm: "Now, let us welcome with the warmest applause our talented and promising young author of 'Those Things About the Ming Dynasty,' Mr. Chen Zhiyuan, to the stage!!!"

"Whoosh—!!!"

Thunderous applause instantly swept through the entire hall, almost lifting the roof off.

However, when that figure calmly stepped onto the small stage amidst applause and stood under the spotlight, a brief and eerie silence fell over the scene.

Many people's faces were instantly filled with astonishment and disbelief, their eyes wide open and their mouths slightly agape.

So young!

So handsome!!!

He...he really is the author! Not a hired model or spokesperson!

Xiang Wanyu and Wang Xia, standing in the crowd, were frozen in place as if instantly immobilized.

Their eyes were fixed on the familiar yet suddenly dazzling figure on the stage. Several seconds passed before they gasped and snapped out of their shock.

"He...he really is! Wang Xia! He's not bragging! He really is the author, Chen Zhiyuan!"

Xiang Wanyu grabbed Wang Xia's arm excitedly, her voice trembling slightly with excitement, and her eyes shining with an incomparably bright, almost worshipful light.

At this moment, all previous doubts vanished, replaced by a ecstatic joy of discovering a shocking secret and a sense of pride.

"Uh-huh!"

Wang Xia nodded vigorously, her face flushed with excitement, her heart pounding.

She was also a loyal reader of this book and had long been full of curiosity and imagination about the author who could write such wonderful stories. But she never expected that the author would be so young and handsome, and... he had just arrived in the same car as them, right next to them!

This wonderful coincidence and the stark contrast filled her with indescribable excitement and admiration.

On stage, facing countless gazes from the audience—some enthusiastic, some curious, some astonished, and some inquisitive—Chen Zhiyuan showed no signs of nervousness or stage fright.

He stood tall and straight, with a calm expression and a gentle yet confident smile on his lips. He exuded a composure and magnanimity beyond his years.

He picked up the microphone, and his voice, clear and resonant, carried through the speakers to every corner of the hall, possessing a compelling power.

"Hello everyone, I'm Chen Zhiyuan, the author of 'Those Things About the Ming Dynasty.' Thank you so much for being here today, my fellow book lovers..."

The speech, lasting only three to five minutes, was concise, sincere, and appropriate, and was interrupted several times by enthusiastic applause and cheers from the audience.

The atmosphere at the scene reached an unprecedented peak thanks to his appearance and speech.

Immediately afterwards, the autograph session officially began.

The long queue began to move forward slowly and orderly.

Chen Zhiyuan sat down behind a long table covered with a red cloth, and soon a stack of new books waiting to be signed piled up in front of him.

He always wore a friendly smile, accepting the books handed to him by each fan, carefully asking for their name (if a title was needed), then picking up the prepared black fountain pen, moving his wrist steadily and powerfully, leaving behind the words "Chen Zhiyuan" in bold, vigorous strokes on the title page.

Occasionally, when fans ask him to write a message, he patiently fulfills their requests, writing eloquently and without hesitation.

Besides the enthusiastic fans queuing up for autographs, several media reporters were also present. They either snapped photos to record the exciting scene or carried video cameras to report on the event, frequently focusing their lenses on the incredibly young author who had already achieved remarkable success.

"Wow! Teacher Chen's handwriting is so beautiful!"

"This penmanship is vigorous and powerful, flowing smoothly; it's even better than what I, someone who has practiced calligraphy for over ten years, write!"

"Teacher Chen is truly all-around amazing! Her handwriting is so beautiful, and her calligraphy is incredible!"

"..."

Hearing the endless praise and exclamations around him, Chen Zhiyuan was naturally in a very good mood.

What pleased him even more was that many book lovers would buy three to five, or even seven or eight, books at a time, saying they were to give them to their relatives and friends; some even went so far as to bring more than a dozen books, saying they were for their entire dormitory or class.

This enthusiasm and support have truly translated into substantial "achievements".

The book signing event, originally planned for one hour, lasted for more than two hours due to the overwhelming enthusiasm of the readers, with thousands of books being signed.

Seeing that there were still people eagerly waiting behind him, Wu Shuhan had no choice but to pick up the microphone again and announce loudly, with an apologetic yet humorous tone:

"Dear book lovers! Thank you so much for your enthusiasm and support! However, our Mr. Chen has been signing books for over two hours straight, and his hands are almost cramping up. Shall we give him a break for today? Let him rest!"

These witty remarks drew bursts of good-natured laughter and expressions of understanding from the audience.

Wu Shuhan seized the opportunity and made a promise: "Today's book signing has come to a successful conclusion! But please rest assured, this is just the beginning!"

Going forward, we will hold similar events from time to time, depending on the situation, to give more friends who like Mr. Chen's work the opportunity to meet him!

The book signing event concluded successfully amidst a warm yet somewhat reluctant atmosphere, achieving a success beyond expectations!

Even after Chen Zhiyuan had left the signing area, the Xinhua Bookstore was still packed with people.