The Infinite Powerhouse Mixed in with Sakura Dormitory

After saying that, Jiang Jing waved to Izumi Masamune and prepared to leave: "Alright, that's enough for today. I have other things to do, so I'm leaving now."

"Wait a minute, Kanda-kun, could you give me your phone number?"

"What do you need my phone number for?" Jiang Jing asked, somewhat puzzled.

Izumi Masamune praised, "Actually, I've also felt that Sagiri has been acting a bit strange lately. I'd like to call you for advice if I have any questions."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Jing rolled his eyes. He had already said that he had no experience in this area, so how could this stubborn guy still think that he was some kind of master of picking up girls or a Casanova?

In the end, Jiang Jing gave Izumi Masamune his phone number, who was inexplicably overly friendly, and then took a taxi back to Sakura-sou with Shiina Mashiro.

"Ah... this kind of laid-back life suits me best." Jiang Jing yawned, his mind somewhat distracted, and lay lazily on the backyard porch.

"Sorata." Shiina Mashiro, who was drawing on a drawing tablet, turned her head and asked curiously, "What is a 'laid-back life'?"

With his hands behind his head, Jiang Jing said lazily, "The life of a salted fish is to not think about anything, not do anything, eat and sleep all day long, go out for a walk when you feel like it, and lie at home when you don't feel like it."

"Is this kind of life good?" Shiina Mashiro was a little confused as to why Jiang Jing would like this kind of idle and mundane life.

Jiang Jing smiled and said, "It's good for me, but this kind of lifestyle would be very boring for you, Mashiro, or Misaki-senpai."

"Everyone has different pursuits and desires. For example, you may have a talent for oil painting that surpasses most people, but you prefer to draw comics and put them aside."

"Misaki-senpai also possesses amazing talent in cartoon animation production and boundless imagination. She is so immersed in it that she often does things that ordinary people cannot understand, and she enjoys it very much."

"But while you gain, you also lose a lot, because people have limited energy. If you focus on one thing, you will ignore others, like you, an idiot who doesn't even know a little bit of common sense."

"Sora is so annoying." Shiina Mashiro puffed out her cheeks slightly.

Jiang Jing ignored her and continued to ramble on: "But goals and pursuits change over time. Some people want to eat beef today and sashimi tomorrow, while others want to become the richest person in the country or a great scientist."

"Then some people achieve the goals they set for themselves through hard work, and then they feel a sense of emptiness, as if their bodies have been hollowed out, and then they feel bored and tasteless."

"But most people will find that they're not destined for it. Forget about goals and pursuits. When it gets light, they just get dressed and go to work." Jiang Jing, bored, started talking nonsense, leaving Shiina Mashiro stunned.

"Oh." Shiina Mashiro nodded, her face showing an expression that was both puzzled and impressed.

Everything remained calm for the next few days, and nothing major happened.

Every day, I would go out in the morning, occasionally bump into Chtholly and her two neighbors who had overslept, nod and say hello, and then arrive at school on time, sometimes even a little late. In class, I would take a nap or tease Aoyama Nanami in front of me, and the time would pass by.

After school in the afternoon, I would walk home with Shiina Mashiro. Sometimes, when Shiina Mashiro and the others had extra classes, Jiang Jing would go to the research club to have some tea and flirt with Himejima Akeno.

The unusual events seemed to have disappeared, and apart from helping Himejima Akeno 'train' once, Jiang Jing didn't encounter anything extraordinary.

And then there's Rias, the red-haired beauty who keeps saying she wants to win him over. She hasn't returned since going back to the Underworld, and Jiang Jing is waiting for her to make her move.

According to Himejima Akeno, Rias is undergoing a bloodline inheritance trial unique to her family. It seems that her brother obtained something from a forbidden area that can help her purify her bloodline and enhance her strength.

His intern editor from the same school, Kaguya Shinomiya, was also quite sensible and didn't bother him at school. I heard that she and another transfer student joined the student council.

On Wednesday afternoon, June 1st, Jiang Jing carried Shiina Mashiro's backpack in one hand as they walked side by side in the sunlight after school.

To outsiders, the two went to school together, ate together, and came home together every day, appearing to be a couple with a very good relationship.

Just as Jiang Jing and his companion were slowly walking down the slope, a yellow sedan stopped in front of them.

"Kanda-sensei, Mashiro, you two are still so close." In the car, Ayano Iida, wearing sunglasses, looked at the two with a smile.

Ignoring Ayano's teasing, Jiang Jing looked at her calmly and said, "Editor Iida, you seem to have something to discuss with Mashiro?"

"Not only Mashiro, but also Kanda-sensei."

Ayano Iida smiled slightly and looked at the students in front and behind her who, like Jiang Jing and the others, had not participated in any clubs: "Kanda-sensei, Mashiro, let's get in the car first. It doesn't seem convenient to talk here."

"A victory celebration party on Friday night?"

In an elegantly decorated restaurant, Jiang Jing looked at the invitation that Ayano Iida had handed him, and Shiina Mashiro also had one in her hand.

“Originally, Vice President Uemura should have come to invite you, Kanda-sensei, personally, but I also needed to bring this to Mashiro, so I brought it along,” Ayano Iida said with a smile.

"May this year was a very celebratory month for the publishing house. The first light novel fighting tournament produced two hot works with monthly sales of nearly one million copies per volume, and the sales of other works were also very impressive."

"The youth campus activities launched in collaboration with Fushigawa have also been well received. Apart from sales, this activity has perfectly achieved the expected goals of our two publishing houses in promoting our emerging writers."

"But the biggest surprise is your work, Toradora!, released three volumes in one month. The popularity is getting higher and higher, and the sales volume has broken the record for the highest monthly sales in the past ten years."

"Although the sales of the first volume declined later, the sales still reached an astonishing 1.47 million copies by the end of the month, and the second volume sold 1.45 million copies."

"In addition to the third volume, which was released on the 25th and sold 830,000 copies in five days, the total sales reached 3.75 million copies, making it the top-selling volume in May."

"And this is only one month. Although the popularity will continue to decline, it will not be able to shake the position of your work as the top-selling work of the year, Mr. Kanda."

"Not to mention that Vice President Uemura is already preparing a promotional plan for the release of the fourth volume of Kanda-sensei's work, and then..."

"Oh, it's alright."

Facing Ayano Iida, who was getting more and more excited as she spoke, Jiang Jing simply gave a faint "oh," then placed the invitation on the table and said indifferently.

"Celebration parties and the like are boring, so I won't go."

"Huh?" Ayano Iida was taken aback, somewhat confused as to why Jiang Jing didn't want to go. This banquet was sure to be the focus of attention if he went, attracting everyone's gaze.

Do young people these days not like this kind of dazzling, flattering scene anymore? Or is she just out of touch with the times?

Seeing the stunned short-haired editor across from him, Jiang Jing changed the subject: "By the way, Mashiro's manga volumes are selling well, right?"

Speaking of this, Ayano Iida became interested again and said happily, "The sales are very good. On the 25th alone, 180,000 copies were sold in the whole state."

"Furthermore, due to effective promotion and the fact that it was released on the same day as Volume 3 and distributed through all channels, it was also very popular in other states of Xia and other Asian countries."

"As of yesterday, the first volume of the manga has sold more than 800,000 copies in a week, a performance that is comparable to that of top-tier manga artists."

Actually, Ayano Iida called to share the good news the day after the release, but unfortunately, Mashiro Shiina was sent to take a bath by Eijiro because she had gotten her clothes dirty.

Jiang Jing answered the phone and hung up after saying "oh," leaving Ayano on the other end bewildered by his uninterested attitude.

Ayano Iida looked at Mashiro and smiled happily, "Congratulations, Mashiro, your debut work has achieved the level of a top-tier manga artist."

"Although the popularity of Kanda-sensei's work played a part, this manga adaptation was completed entirely by you. It can be said that the success is largely due to your efforts."

Jiang Jing also showed a faint smile, because, as Ayano said, comics are different from novels, focusing more on visuals and expression.

Otherwise, if you give a mediocre person to adapt Toradora! into a manga, even if it gets some hype and sales on the first day, it will become garbage after its reputation plummets on the second day.

As a manga editor, having produced a hit work and produced a famous manga artist under her supervision is a remarkable achievement for Ayano personally.

"That's good." Shiina Mashiro nodded calmly.

Suddenly, Ayano Iida's eyes flickered, and she said with a smile, "Mashiro, actually, the banquet the day after tomorrow is not just about everyone eating and celebrating together. The company's main purpose is actually to allow its authors and manga artists, who are rarely seen, to exchange ideas."

"Most of the company's famous cartoonists will be attending this banquet, and there will be an exhibition of their outstanding works in the past at the end of the banquet. Maybe seeing them will inspire your comic creation."

Shiina Mashiro's eyes lit up slightly, showing some interest, but she didn't agree immediately.

"The company hasn't organized such a grand party in several years. Mashiro, this is a really rare opportunity. The exhibition of works later on features the best works of those manga artists."

"Oh, right, there will also be exhibitions of works by top illustrators from the publishing house, and some of them will come to the event to exchange ideas and discuss with their peers."

Ayano Iida tempted Mashiro, saying, "Don't underestimate these illustrators. Many of them are even better at drawing than some manga artists."

"For example, Eri Kashiwagi, an illustrator who recently joined the publishing house, is a well-known doujinshi artist in the industry. In some aspects, her drawing skills are even better than Mashiro's."

"When you meet, you can chat. She's a high school student like you, Mashiro. No, she's younger than you, she's only in her first year of high school."

"A first-year high school student whose drawing skills are even better than mine in some aspects?" Upon hearing this, Shiina Mashiro's originally calm eyes lit up with interest and a hint of fighting spirit.

.

P.S.: Today's two chapters totaled over 8,000 words. Originally, this could have been split into four chapters, but due to increased chapter updates recently and a drop in average daily subscriptions, I'll keep it as three chapters. Two chapters are the minimum guarantee, and one will be a make-up chapter. I still owe you eighteen chapters.

(Spitting blood) By the way, everyone, please cast your vote while you're at it. The data is terrible right now.

Chapter 139 Jiang Jing's Violent Side, Mashiro is Astonished

“Eri Kashiwagi! Her drawing skills surpass Mashiro’s in some aspects.” Unlike Mashiro Shiina, who had been somewhat inspired, Jiang Jing’s eyes revealed a strange look.

If he remembered correctly, Kashiwagi Eri was a very famous hentai/erotic doujinshi artist in the doujinshi community, and in comparison, Shiina Mashiro, who had no concept of romantic relationships, was definitely much worse.

Shiina Mashiro turned her head and quietly looked at the river view without saying a word.

Jiang Jing said, somewhat speechless, "Go if you want to."

Shiina Mashiro shook her head and said, "If Sorata isn't going, I don't want to go either."

After speaking, Shiina Mashiro looked at Jiang Jing with anticipation in her eyes, her meaning quite clear.

"..." Jiang Jing

"Why don't you go with Mashiro, Kanda-sensei? Mashiro is so beautiful, she'll definitely be the center of attention at the banquet, and she'll really need a protector."

“And as Mashiro’s boyfriend, Kanda-sensei certainly wouldn’t want those men surrounding Mashiro, would she?” Ayano Iida suggested with a smile.

Jiang Jing rolled his eyes at Ayano's obviously clumsy attempt to lead him astray, but since she meant no harm and genuinely meant well for Mashiro, he looked at Mashiro speechlessly.

"You really want to go?"

"I kind of want to go." Shiina Mashiro nodded, looking at Jiang Jing with great anticipation, clearly indicating that if Jiang Jing didn't go, she didn't plan to go either, even though she really wanted to.

"Okay, okay, I'll go with you then." Jiang Jing shrugged, not caring whether he went or not, his tone like a doting father spoiling his daughter.

Upon hearing this, Ayano Iida across from her breathed a sigh of relief and a bright smile appeared on her face: "Kanda-sensei has finally agreed to go."

She had boasted to Yuriko Uemura before she set off that she would definitely be able to invite Eijiro and Mashiro.

At the time, Ayano Iida thought that no boy could resist the temptation of a banquet that was destined to make him the center of attention, so the task was obviously very easy.

Then, he met Jiang Jing, a weirdo who had no interest in anything.

"Ms. Kanda, do you have any formal attire or suits?" After persuading Jiang Jing to attend the banquet, Ayano Iida, like a dutiful nanny, inquired about their attire.

"Uh... I don't think I have any, Zhenbai, do you have any?" And at this moment, Jiang Jing seemed to realize that apart from the two sets of extra-long uniforms he had just changed into at school, he didn't seem to have many sets of clothes to wear outside.

Shiina Mashiro calmly replied, "I used to attend these kinds of banquets often, and I have many of these dresses. They're kept in the box under the wardrobe."

"That means Mr. Kanda doesn't wear formal attire."

Ayano Iida's eyes lit up, and she suggested, "Mashiro, why don't we go to the mall now and pick out a couple of outfits for Kanda-sensei? I've been planning to go shopping lately anyway."

"Choose clothes for Sorata." Shiina Mashiro was immediately tempted as well.

"No need for that trouble, I'll have someone prepare it for me tomorrow." Jiang Jing, who wasn't particularly interested in shopping for clothes, waved his hand, interrupting the two.

After finishing their business, and with the cake almost all eaten by Mashiro, Jiang Jing declined Ayano Iida's offer to have dinner with him, and didn't let her take him home. He then led Shiina Mashiro slowly toward Sakura-sou.

Walking down the street, Jiang Jing looked at Shiina Mashiro and smiled faintly: "You look very much looking forward to it."