Chapter 63: Su Han: Haven't Seen Anyone So Eager to Fall into a Trap Before!
Staring at the poem written on the billboard, Xu Er suddenly felt a sour ache in his heart.
He, too, had someone he loved, a girl from Qingce Village. Her family was well-off, so well-off that even after two years of dating, he hadn't dared to visit her home. Lately, even their letters had become fewer.
Sometimes, Xu Er couldn't help but wonder, what was he afraid of?
Now, after seeing this poem, he finally understood. What he lacked was the courage to love.
"At the end of the month, I'll come find you, Lan Yi."
Returning to his senses, Xu Er silently made a vow in his heart. This month, he would work harder than ever. If he seized this opportunity, perhaps Lan Yi's family would no longer look down on him.
Half an hour later, the streets of Liyue were covered with posters.
The townsfolk, already familiar with Su Han's publicity tactics, all stopped to look. Most assumed it was another update of Under One Person, but to their surprise, the ever-resourceful Boss Su had released a completely new manga.
[Do you wish to understand the meaning of love?]
[If love still confuses you, come read Fox Spirit Matchmaker. It perfectly explains what love truly is.]
[There is no greater beauty in the human world than a love that cuts to the bone.]
As the crowd read the slogans, discussions broke out.
A young girl, seeing the cute fox spirit girl on the poster, immediately brightened.
"Wow, how adorable! I thought Boss Su only drew those fighting and cultivation stories!"
"Love stories? Sounds boring."
"Not necessarily. Don't forget, this is Boss Su we're talking about. It might just surprise us."
Opinions were mixed. Most of the women seemed interested, while among men, only the younger ones showed curiosity. Older or married men, on the other hand, weren't keen on buying it.
Standing in the crowd, Xu Er grew increasingly anxious. He had never imagined the new manga would receive such a lukewarm response. Instead, people were still asking when Under One Person would be updated.
If the new manga flopped, he wouldn't make much Mora, and without Mora, how could he face Lan Yi?
Despair filled Xu Er's face. As just a small clerk, there was nothing he could do but continue to promote it as best as he could.
Just then, people nearby suddenly made way for someone.
Looking up, Xu Er saw none other than the head of the Crux Fleet, Beidou, arriving with her crew. They looked like they had just returned from a voyage, some still bearing battle scars, clearly, they'd been through a tough fight.
"Well, well, a new manga, huh?" Beidou said with a grin. "I heard back at the docks that Liyue already had two series out. Guess this makes three now, eh, Hailong?"
"Seems so, Captain. It says right there, release today at eleven."
Following her crewman's pointing finger, Beidou nodded. "Heh, what a coincidence."
After reading the poster for a while, she turned to Xu Er.
"You're one of Boss Su's people, right? How do I find him? I want to discuss a big deal."
"The boss is at the Yujing Terrace branch. Shall I take you there?"
Xu Er's eyes lit up. He wouldn't dare miss such a golden opportunity.
Beidou laughed. "Smart kid. Lead the way, you'll be rewarded with some Mora later."
"Thank you, Captain Beidou!"
The promise of money instantly cheered Xu Er up. He knew Beidou was never stingy.
...
In the backyard of the Yujing Terrace branch.
Ningguang held the new manga in her hand, smiling faintly.
"I didn't expect your new work to be about romance. As far as I know, that sort of story only appeals to lovesick fools. It's nowhere near as popular as martial arts or cultivation tales."
Su Han, who was making tea, immediately protested.
"That's because other people's stories are shallow. Mine is different. My manga will definitely resonate across all seven nations."
"We'll see," Ningguang replied, unconvinced. "When we passed through the streets earlier, the crowd's reaction seemed… lukewarm. Not as passionate as before."
Keqing hadn't read it yet, but she'd noticed the same thing, people didn't seem too excited, aside from a few girls who were looking forward to it. Most of the men didn't care at all.
Ganyu, seeing how no one was supporting Su Han, quickly spoke up to comfort him.
"Even if it doesn't succeed, it's still a worthy experiment. But I believe that someone who can write such beautiful poems can't possibly create a bad story."
No one understood the market better than Ganyu. But since Su Han was her clansman, even if others doubted him, she would still cheer him on.
After all, he had helped her a great deal lately, especially with work-related matters.
Seeing Ganyu's unreserved support, Su Han felt deeply moved. Smiling, he said,
"Since you and Keqing both don't believe in me, why don't we make a little bet?"
Both women looked intrigued. "A bet? What kind?"
Su Han's eyes glimmered.
"Let's bet whether this manga will become a hit in Liyue Harbor within one week. If I win, the two of you will accompany me to a dinner cruise and dance. If I lose, I'll give each of you a family heirloom."
Ningguang and Keqing exchanged glances, it seemed like a good deal.
After all, they knew the market well. Romantic manga rarely sold well in Liyue. Their odds of winning were high.
After a moment of thought, Keqing said, "I'll take that bet!"
Su Han then turned to Ningguang. "And you?"
"What counts as 'a hit'? You can't just decide that on a whim. We need a specific number."
She was right. "Hit" was too vague. There needed to be a measurable standard.
Su Han thought for a moment. "How about three thousand copies sold? Excluding purchases from outsiders."
"You said it yourself," Ningguang replied with a calm smile, finally at ease.
Just as she finished speaking, a loud, hearty voice came from the courtyard gate.
"Three thousand copies? Mind if I join in too?"
Everyone turned to see Beidou, the captain of the Crux Fleet, standing there.
Ningguang gave a small snort. "Right on time, Captain. We just settled a wager. Want in?"
"A wager?" Beidou asked, puzzled, glancing at Keqing for an explanation.
Keqing quickly filled her in. "It's about the new manga. Ningguang and I don't think it'll do well, so we made a bet with Su Han."
"Hah, interesting. Mind if I join? Though, I want to change the terms a bit if that's alright, Boss Su. I don't want your heirloom. I want the rights to distribute your manga."
Su Han hadn't expected someone to volunteer to take the bait. His expression turned odd.
"Uh… sure, but since you're changing your wager, I'll change mine too. If you lose, you have to agree to one thing."
"What thing? Let's hear it."
"Take a shipment to Inazuma!"
Beidou's cheerful grin froze instantly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bonus chapters every 200 Power Stone!
10, 20, 30 Advanced chapters in my Patreon!
patreon.com/hollyrisk