My Years as a Copyist in Taiwan

Zhao Wen was speechless. "Mr. Fujino, where is your composure?"

He turned to look at Editor Gao. Editor Gao also looked surprised, then smiled—he knew it; Zhao Wen's writing was like that, possessing a charm that could conquer anyone.

Shuji Fujino had prepared several contracts. He took the contract from his assistant, placed his hands on the coffee table, and looked at Zhao Wen with anticipation.

Zhao Wen didn't explain that Spirited Away was one of the stories in the collected edition. Anyway, it would have to wait until it was published here before Fujino could take it to translate. At that time, Japan would be even more surprised.

Picking up his pen, Zhao Wen solemnly signed his name at the bottom of the contract. The contract contained a confidentiality clause: the author would be credited as "Mr. Snail," and all public channels would use only this pen name; his true identity must be strictly kept confidential.

Whether or not it's kept secret is no longer important. From the day he released his single, he was ready to stand in the spotlight.

Shuji Fujino also picked up a pen and signed his name, exceeding his mission for today's visit to Tainan.

However, greed was his true nature. After taking a sip of tea, he asked tentatively, "May I ask, Mr. Snail, besides these three works, are there any other works you are currently working on? Kodansha is very keen to have the opportunity to collaborate on any subject matter."

Editor Gao nodded in agreement, "Yeah, Wen, didn't you say last time there was something else...?"

Before Editor Gao could finish speaking, Zhao Wen nodded: "Indeed, there is another realistic novel, which is almost finished. It's different from 'Love Letter'; it's about the youth, love, and life and death of young people."

Fujino's eyes suddenly lit up; there really were more!

He leaned forward slightly: "Could you please elaborate a bit, Mr. Snail? Japanese readers have always favored this kind of delicate humanistic subject matter. If the tone is right, it will surely generate a great response."

"The protagonist has two girls by his side: one is named Naoko, the lover of his deceased friend, gentle and quiet, but trapped in the shadow of her friend's death; the other is named Midori, vibrant and bright, full of life, like the sun emerging after the rain..."

"In this book, I mainly wanted to write about the hesitation and confusion of young people—the tug-of-war between the pure white past and the scorching reality, and the growth between saying goodbye and having.

The core message is simple: youth is always a process of gaining and losing. In this life, many people drift apart as time goes by, and many memories fade as time goes on. We all slowly grow into the people we are today through a series of farewells.

Shuji Fujino was very sensitive, which gave him an exceptionally keen sense for literary works.

He understands all too well the power of this kind of subject matter—Japanese culture is inherently imbued with the theme of "mono no aware" (the pathos of things), and their readers are completely powerless against stories that are restrained and delicate, fully depicting the confusion of youth and the melancholy of life and death.

Love Letter was already a phenomenal hit in the pure romance genre, but this new work clearly takes a step further—

It's not just about love; it's about the sense of loss that everyone experiences during growth, and the loneliness and reconciliation hidden in everyday life. Once it hits the Japanese market, it will only ignite a more lasting national resonance than "Love Letter."

"Mr. Snail, this work... is so perfect for our Japanese market!" Fujino couldn't contain his eagerness. "Would you mind if I could read a few chapters first? Even just a few pages would be fine."

Zhao Wen smiled and shook his head: "The manuscript is still being polished. The rhythm and emotions haven't been polished to the state that I'm most satisfied with. Once I've finished revising it all and I'm sure it's the way I want it, I'll show it to Mr. Fujino first."

Fujino felt a tingling, helpless feeling in his heart. He knew that with the skill of Mr. Snail in writing "Love Letter," this new work would only be even better. The more he couldn't see it, the more intense his anticipation became.

"I apologize for my abruptness." Fujino took a deep breath, suppressing his eagerness, and gave a solemn bow. "Then I will await Mr. Snail's completion. Kodansha is ready to assist you at any time. Please give us priority in our negotiations."

Zhao Wen nodded and promised to notify him as soon as the manuscript was finished.

After seeing off Shuji Fujino and Editor Gao, Zhao Wengang returned to the hall, where the phone on the table rang.

It was Lin Hsin-Chun from Taipei calling, saying that the recording studio, the musicians on duty, and the senior recording engineer were all arranged and the schedule was ready, so he could come over anytime and start recording.

Zhao Wen is planning to release a 12-inch vinyl record because it's incredibly lucrative!

Since its release, the single "Those Years" has sold over 400,000 copies, with a net profit of NT$24 to NT$25 per copy. The total profit has already exceeded NT$10 million.

However, last month's settlement only covered the initial shipment, amounting to several million dollars. The discs continue to sell well across the island, and the remaining payments will be received in batches.

The revenue from just one single is already comparable to the royalties of a blockbuster feature film, and the payback period is much faster!

So Zhao Wen simply selected ten songs that perfectly fit the style of this era, along with "Those Years" and "My Deskmate" to make a complete album. He will take advantage of the popularity of "Those Years" to launch it to the market. If the sales are the same, the net profit will be four or five times that of a single, because he is the singer, lyricist and composer, and no music company has taken the lion's share!

At that time, Teresa Teng could easily sell millions of copies of any of her albums. Could it be that even the cheat code from the future couldn't catch up with Teresa Teng?

But this trip to Taipei will take at least three or four days, and the only trouble is my younger sister, Zhao Wenwen.

He couldn't rest easy leaving the girl alone in the old house, feeling lonely and uneasy at night.

It's not that there are no neighbors, but the layout of this old house is special. In the early days, the houses in the city were all lined up in a row, with parallel streets and alleys. The gate that his family uses to enter and exit the courtyard now was actually the side gate of the backyard of the row of houses in the past.

The houses along the alley all face the same direction, with only one house every seven or eight shops, and they don't usually have much contact with each other.

Later, he bought the old houses belonging to the elderly couple in the backyard. The main entrance there faced another bustling main alley, with densely packed neighbors. However, he didn't usually use that route and wasn't familiar with the residents there. If he really needed to temporarily entrust the children to Aunt Chen, whom he knew well, it wouldn't be as reliable.

During this period, Zhao Wen had to undergo physical therapy at least four or five times a week, and he had become as familiar with Aunt Chen Meiling as if she were his own aunt.

Wenwen's mother was at Meiling Acupressure Center again. Zhao Wen was not surprised because one day he heard Aunt Chen laughing and shouting, "Hey, you surnamed Xu, don't go too far!" He knew that Wenwen's mother and Aunt Chen must be very close friends.

Wenwen's mother is thirty-seven years old and has a gentle personality. Tainan is her maternal home. Wenwen only transferred from Taipei to Tainan last year to study in the second grade. Despite the intermittent nature of their relationship, Zhao Wen has come to know so much about Wenwen.