My Years as a Copyist in Taiwan

"You Are the Apple of My Eye" became a hit across the island, following in the footsteps of its predecessor, "You Are the Apple of My Eye"!

The novel is currently a bestseller, and the original author, Mr. Snail, personally sang the theme song of the same name. The double hype has directly whetted the audience's appetite to its peak.

The taxi driver tuned the radio to this song, and when the passenger arrived at their destination, they were reluctant to get out of the car...

The department stores, ice cream parlors, and general stores on the street all play this song on a loop through their loudspeakers, and passersby can't help but hum along.

This song became a regular feature on the school's inter-class broadcast system. Boys and girls would lean on the corridor railings, and listening to the lyrics would remind them of the person they had been longing for.

"Back to where we started, your youthful face in my memory..."

The melody of this song can be heard everywhere, in the streets and alleys.

Two years ago, Li Jianfu's phenomenal album "Descendants of the Dragon" sold 25 copies, setting a new record for the entire island. Last year, Liu Wenzheng's national hit "Little Rain in March" sold 15 copies. Everyone believed that the legend created by Li Jianfu would become an unbreakable record.

As a result, Mr. Snail's single "Those Years" broke this record in just one week! This was only because the factory's disc pressing machine couldn't keep up; otherwise, it wouldn't have taken seven days!

"Those Years" debuted at number one on the music charts, pushing down all the love songs that had dominated the charts for months.

Mr. Snail became an overnight sensation in the music scene, quickly becoming a sought-after artist by major record companies. Everyone knew that the real treasure wasn't the song itself, but rather "Mr. Snail," the author of the song.

In less than a week, invitations from more than a dozen record companies piled up in Jiuge's editorial department. They were all singers and music companies offering exorbitant prices for songs, with no conditions required, just to get Mr. Snail's work.

Mr. Snail couldn't even be bothered to read these heartfelt letters. You're asking for 10,000 yuan for a song? Who do you think you are?

Just yesterday, Zhao Wen received another check for NT$120 million. Sales of "Those Years" have dropped significantly, but thanks to the influence of the two songs, they should see a surge next month.

"Brother, I think I have a talent for playing guitar!" Zhao Wenwen tilted her head up, her eyes sparkling. "I want to play this song at next year's graduation party!"

At that moment, the radio was playing "You Are the Apple of My Eye".

Zhao Wen sighed and smiled wryly. The little girl had been learning piano for over a month, but she had to count the notes one by one. The bass clef was like gibberish to her. She never counted the beats when playing, relying entirely on feeling. Even the simplest introductory piece, which she could barely make out in broken notes, was already her limit...

"Okay, I'll teach you, starting tomorrow!" Zhao Wen decided to trust his younger sister one more time!

He took out a stack of papers from the drawer, all covered with lyrics and music—"When Dreams Awaken," "Later," "A Thousand Songs," "Glorious Years"...

More than twenty classic Chinese songs spanning the entire 1980s, from youth to inspiration, from emotions to life, each one a chart-topping hit.

He doesn't want just one or two hit songs.

What he wanted was for the entire Chinese music scene of the 1980s to bear the mark of "Mr. Snail." Dominating the literary world was only the first step; next, he wanted his words and melodies to permeate every corner of the era.

After arranging the lyrics and music in the order of their release, Zhao Wen folded them and put them in the drawer. Turning his head, he saw Zhao Wenwen pop a milk candy into her mouth, her cheeks puffed out like a little squirrel. He laughed and said, "Come on, I'll take you to the Cooperation Building for some handmade pudding and tiramisu!"

Zhao Wenwen let out a joyful shout and skipped back to her room to change her clothes.

Zhao Wen had warned his sister not to call herself "Mr. Snail" in public anymore, or she would be in big trouble.

Zhao Wenwen wholeheartedly agreed. When "You Are the Apple of My Eye" became a huge hit, she was so surrounded by her classmates that she couldn't even go to the bathroom. She had already experienced the troubles that come with fame.

Reporters' interviews with Zhao Wen could only go as far as the Jiuge Magazine office; Yi'an and Editor Gao would not utter a single word about Zhao Wen's address.

So Zhao Wen could still take Wenwen around Tainan’s busiest shopping districts in a relaxed manner, and then go to Tainan’s tallest “skyscraper” at the time – the Cooperation Building, eat all kinds of desserts, and then go to Yanping Department Store to buy things for his daughter.

After getting tired of shopping, she took a taxi back to Meiling Acupressure Center to recover. Now she has a physiotherapy session almost every two days. Chen Meiling can't understand this old friend's son anymore. She has never seen him go out to work, so how come he is so extravagant? Even his little girl is covered in expensive items!

When Wenwen's mother brought Wenwen to the acupressure center, Zhao Wen had just sat down on the massage bed, so the two women started chatting.

When talking about Mr. Snail, Wenwen's mother's tone was full of admiration: "I don't know how old this gentleman is, but his writing is so touching. The other night I reread 'Moon Shadow' and when I got to the last part, I couldn't stop crying."

Zhao Wen lay on the pillow and didn't reply.

Wenwen's mother asked with a smile, "Wenwen is young, he must have seen it too, right? Now all the students are talking about it, even Wenwen's teachers at school are watching it."

"I've read a few of them; they're very well written, full of emotion, and have a lasting impact." Zhao Wen's toes tensed; he finally understood what it felt like to praise himself.

At that one sentence, there was a moment of silence on the other end. The woman's voice brightened, as if she had found a kindred spirit: "Yes! It has a lasting impact! That's exactly what I mean! I told my husband, and he always laughs at me for crying while reading leisure books. Nobody understands this feeling. You're so right, you explain it more clearly than those Chinese literature teachers."

Wenwen's mother brought a jar of homemade pineapple cakes. The aroma of them was enticing when she opened it. She called over her two daughters and told them to eat as many as they wanted.

Wenwen really liked Zhao Wen, and instead of eating first, she took a piece and insisted on feeding it to Zhao Wen, who was lying down.

Zhao Wen could only tilt his head, take a bite, and say thank you.

On February 22, 1982, the GG brand in Ximending, Taipei, was already a hot seller.

Golden Crown Publishing House booked the three most eye-catching light boxes on the entire street, all of which were promotional posters for Auntie's new book "The Lamp of Last Night"—the heroine's eyes were filled with tears, accompanied by the black words "When love is deep, the lamplight turns to ashes," which is her most signature tragic love story.

The book signing was scheduled for the afternoon of the book's release. The auntie was dressed in a beige dress, with exquisite makeup, and smiled gently as she accepted the books from the readers.

A long line of hundreds of people stood below the stage, mostly little girls in school uniforms, holding up notebooks and shouting "Phoenix! Phoenix!"

During the interview, the aunt said calmly, "Literature must ultimately return to the essence of emotion. True love can transcend time and touch people's hearts."

The media present echoed this sentiment, all believing that this time, the aunt was going to get back the face she had lost a few months ago.

On the seventh day after its release, a sales report of 18,000 copies for the first week was displayed on the mahogany desk of Kingcrown Publishing House.