Before the Annual Gala

Chu Yu finally understood what it meant to be relaxed after the winter break started.

He no longer had to create manga until late every night.

What used to take a week to complete his manga work was finished by both him and Zhao Qinyin by Wednesday, thanks to their collaboration. This even made Su Ruo sigh in admiration when she found out.

Zhao Qinyin was already considered quite fast among manga creators.

But compared to Chu Yu, her speed was nothing.

After all, when he first bound with the system, it had already enhanced his manga drawing skills and speed.

So, it only took them five days, without working overtime at night, to finish the manuscript for the new chapter.

Su Ruo looked at the manuscript for Rurouni Kenshin: Trust and Betrayal, Chapter Eleven, which Chu Yu had just handed her. She suddenly felt like a pretty useless editor.

She couldn't contribute to the plot, and the work didn't require her to chase him for deadlines. Man Ying's deadline was Sunday, but he had always finished by Friday before.

Now, with the holiday break, the two of them had simply finished the manuscript by Wednesday.

Su Ruo had been in this industry for many years and had seen her share of high-yield sow type manga artists, but a combination like Chu Yu and Zhao Qinyin was truly one of a kind.

If they were to set aside their studies and classes, work during the day, and put in a little overtime at night, drawing two chapters a week wouldn't be a dream!

Of course, this was assuming Chu Yu could handle such intense plot creation. After all, Rurouni Kenshin: Trust and Betrayal had progressed this far without the plot collapsing, and the foreshadowing was intricately linked. To achieve such an effect, he must have conceived the entire work when he first started drawing Chapter One.

She wondered how long Chu Yu had spent refining the plot of this work.

But Su Ruo guessed it must have been a considerable amount of time.

"Phew!" Chu Yu let out a long breath. He was also a salted fish. After completing this week's tasks, he wanted to rest.

It was a holiday break!

What would be the point if he threw himself entirely into drawing manga?

Moreover, Rurouni Kenshin: Trust and Betrayal had already been serialized up to Chapter Eight in Man Ying. The manuscript he handed to Su Ruo today was for Chapter Eleven.

Based on the progress, the work would conclude in just four more chapters, and its serialization in Man Ying would end in less than two months.

In comparison, Chu Yu felt no sense of urgency.

"So, do I not need to come over for the next few days?" Zhao Qinyin asked after understanding Chu Yu's work schedule.

"Mm, we'll take the rest of this week off to rest before the year," Chu Yu nodded.

"It's winter break now, and I'd feel bad if I kept you working here all the time. Besides, the New Year is less than two weeks away."

"Of course, we could also work a bit harder during this period. At this week's pace, we might be able to finish the four chapters of the fourth section, 'Cross Scar,' of Rurouni Kenshin: Trust and Betrayal before the year ends. If we do that, the work will be completed, and everyone can have a peaceful Chinese New Year..."

"It's... finished..."

As soon as Chu Yu spoke, Su Ruo and Zhao Qinyin were stunned.

The two of them had been paying close attention to the work's performance and drawing progress. When Chu Yu first brought up the topic, they realized.

This work had already reached this point.

Even if Chu Yu and Zhao Qinyin weren't on holiday with ample time to draw manga, at the previous pace, this work would be completed within a month and published within two months.

"Time... really flies..."

"So after this work is finished... what are your plans, Chu Yu? This work is called Rurouni Kenshin: Trust and Betrayal, right? Trust and Betrayal... meaning there are other arcs! Are you planning to... serialize the other arcs of this work?" Zhao Qinyin looked at Chu Yu.

Including Su Ruo, she also wanted to know the answer.

Other arcs?

"Other arcs... to be honest... I have no idea right now."

Chu Yu said helplessly.

He knew that the Trust and Betrayal arc was only a small part of the original Rurouni Kenshin. The system had rated the complete original work as an A-grade work. Even if he wanted to gamble on luck, he couldn't draw an A-grade work with his current B-grade Lucky Draw Chance.

But if he relied on World Points to exchange for it, the World Points he had gained from the Trust and Betrayal arc were far from enough to exchange for all the chapters of Rurouni Kenshin.

"Moreover, next semester is the last semester of high school. Gaokao is in June. My grades are nothing like yours, Zhao Qinyin. I'm too much of a Salted Fish. If I don't work hard, I probably won't even get into a third-rate university."

"How can I think about so many things right now? The work isn't even finished yet. And if I'm still first in the Popularity Poll this week, there's also the Dragon Star Award during the New Year, isn't there?"

"I can only take it one step at a time."

Chu Yu's words were ambiguous. Su Ruo and Zhao Qinyin lowered their heads, lost in thought.

"Hey, hey, why aren't you talking anymore!"

The two remained silent.

"Alright, alright, let's not talk about this anymore!" Chu Yu shook his head.

"Sister Su, didn't you say before? Our Manga Company is holding an Annual Gala this Saturday, and you asked Zhao Qinyin and me to buy Suits and Formal Wear to attend. Anyway, this week's work is done, and the three of us are here. Why don't we go now!"

Chu Yu's words immediately captured Su Ruo and Zhao Qinyin's attention.

For girls, talking about Shopping, especially about clothing, even attracted Zhao Qinyin's attention.

"Then, let's go now?"

"That works too!"

In a Commercial Building in the center of Ming City.

"Hello sir, are you satisfied with this outfit?"

The Sales Assistant walked up with a smile as she saw Chu Yu emerge from the fitting room.

"It's alright!"

Chu Yu looked in the mirror. Dressed in Leather Shoes and a Suit, he did indeed look more mature. It felt strange to him, as he had never worn this style before.

From the women's fitting room not far away, Zhao Qinyin and Su Ruo emerged together.

Zhao Qinyin had changed into a red dress, her shoulders and arms exposed, and she was wearing moderately high High Heels.

Her hair hung down, and her eyes seemed a little flustered. A faint blush also graced her cheeks, as if she were a little embarrassed.

Although she hadn't felt anything when watching TV hosts wear similar clothes, she only realized how awkward it was when she put on such an outfit herself.

Not only was she unaccustomed to wearing High Heels, but this dress also exposed too much. It was incomparable to the casual wear and ankle-length skirts she usually wore on weekends.

As for Su Ruo beside her, she had changed into a black evening gown. Her slender waist and fair, straight calves made her look beautiful and confident. After all, she had been working in the industry for several years, unlike Zhao Qinyin's girlish mindset.

For a moment, the two of them attracted the attention of many men and women shopping for clothes in the store.

It was the end of the year, and many companies were holding their Annual Galas, not just Mo Yu. Therefore, there were many people in the store with the same purpose as Chu Yu and the others, especially the men, whose gazes frequently fell on Su Ruo and Zhao Qinyin.

This made Zhao Qinyin even more uncomfortable.

"Yo! Chu Yu, not bad!"

Su Ruo's eyes lit up when she saw Chu Yu dressed in his Suit.

"You, you used to wear jeans, T-shirts, or school uniforms, and you didn't stand out much. Now that you've changed your clothes, you actually look a bit handsome."

Su Ruo's voice brought Chu Yu back to his senses.

He then realized that he had actually been momentarily stunned when he saw their outfits just now.

However, Chu Yu quickly responded, "I knew that without you saying it. Also, next time you praise someone, remove the word 'a bit' and just say handsome."

So arrogant.

Su Ruo pouted.

"How is it? Do you think the clothes are okay?" Chu Yu looked at the two of them.

"I think it's fine. We'll take this set."

Although Su Ruo had several banquet dresses at home, she still decided to buy a new one for the annual gala. After all, women's clothes are always missing just one.

"It seems a bit too revealing..." Zhao Qinyin's voice grew much quieter.

"Aren't all clothes like this? You're just not used to paying attention to those parts yet. When you go to the gala on Saturday, you'll see how conservative you're dressed compared to the other women attending," Su Ruo shook her head and said to Zhao Qinyin.

"Then... alright..." Zhao Qinyin whispered.

Ever since she embarked on the path of manga, she had only heard about the Ink Fish Manga Company's annual galas; she had never attended one.

Compared to the excitement and anticipation of attending such a conference, enduring wearing clothes she wasn't accustomed to was bearable.

The two, having made their decision, returned to the fitting rooms to change.

After all, it was snowing heavily outside the mall, so they couldn't go out wearing dresses like that.

However, Chu Yu took this opportunity to walk towards the cashier.

"How much are their shoes and dresses, plus my suit and shoes?"

"Sir, would you like to pay for it all together?" the cashier asked with a smile.

"Yes!"

Soon, the woman operated her computer, and the final total made Chu Yu's heart skip a beat.

So expensive...

It's almost as much as... my...

half a week's manuscript fee.

When Chu Yu saw the figure, his first reaction was to measure it against his previous monthly living expenses.

But then he felt terrible, because after a rough calculation, he felt that the unit of "month" could easily become "year" by multiplying by twelve.

So he immediately switched to measuring it against his weekly manuscript fee.

Instantly, he felt much better.

If Chu Yu had stayed home drawing manga today, the price of the original drafts he could have completed would be enough to buy two sets of these clothes.

His mindset immediately shifted.

By the time Zhao Qinyin and Su Ruo came out, Chu Yu had not only paid the bill but had also put on his thick down jacket, ready to go home.

"You paid the bill?"

Su Ruo and Zhao Qinyin exchanged glances.

Even though they knew Chu Yu's income was very high now, they didn't plan to take advantage of him by asking him to come.

"I'll transfer the money to you..." Zhao Qinyin said as she took out her phone.

"Forget it!" Chu Yu waved his hand.

"After all, it was through everyone's joint effort that Rurouni Kenshin: Trust and Betrayal achieved its current success. I've been wanting to find an opportunity to thank you all..."

"The gifts I gave you last Christmas Eve carried the same sentiment, but it seems Sister Su didn't really like that scale. This time, you all chose your own gifts, so consider this my renewed thanks to you... There's no need to transfer money, and I won't accept it."

"But I really like the manga tools you gave me... Forget Sister Su's, I'll pay for mine myself..."

"Alright, alright, let's go. This matter is settled!" Chu Yu knew he couldn't win an argument with Zhao Qinyin, a smart and logical girl.

He walked towards the store entrance alone, carrying the bag with his clothes.

He had finally managed to give gifts to others, and it would be too awkward if Zhao Qinyin didn't accept them, so he simply didn't give her the chance.

Su Ruo pulled Zhao Qinyin, who still wanted to say something, and shook her head.

"Forget it. He's giving us gifts as thanks for our help with his work. There's no need to say more..."

"If you're so calculative about it, it's not good. If you feel embarrassed, why not put more effort into properly finishing Rurouni Kenshin: Trust and Betrayal? Leaving no regrets is the real way to show your gratitude," Su Ruo said.

As for Su Ruo, she didn't refuse gifts from people she felt were alright. At most, she would find an opportunity to reciprocate later. She wasn't as conflicted as Zhao Qinyin, who lacked social experience.

"What's wrong? Why are you still dwelling on that? Let's go quickly!" Chu Yu stood at the door, looking at the two of them speechlessly.

"Okay, coming..." Su Ruo quickly walked over.

Zhao Qinyin hesitated for a moment but then followed.

For the next two days, neither Su Ruo nor Zhao Qinyin came to Chu Yu's home.

After all, Chu Yu had already submitted the manga manuscript for the week. Although Chu Yu had asked Zhao Qinyin if she wanted to work overtime before the year to finish the work completely.

Zhao Qinyin's final answer was that she was very busy as the New Year approached. She could easily complete her assistant work at a rate of one chapter per week, but two chapters per week might be too strenuous...

Since Zhao Qinyin said so, Chu Yu didn't say anything more.

For him, it didn't make much difference whether the manga was completed in two weeks or a month.

The New Year arrived in just a few days. The coldness throughout Luo Province couldn't extinguish the enthusiasm in everyone's hearts. Children and the elderly braved the heavy snow and cold wind to go out on the streets.

Various food stalls were also allowed to set up in the urban areas during this time.

And many primary and secondary school students also had their New Year's money, and they were not stingy with their spending when buying their favorite manga magazines and merchandise.

The order volume of magazines under Luo Province's three major manga companies, Feng Yu, Mo Yu, and Long Ya, all saw an increase.

Although Mo Yu Manga Company found it a bit strange that Luo Cheng, a major distributor under its umbrella, reported nearly 30,000 more Man Ying orders than usual this issue, they simply attributed it to increased sales due to the New Year. Although... the increase was somewhat astonishing.

And the arrival of Friday also heralded the release of Chapter Nine of Rurouni Kenshin: Trust and Betrayal.

For a time, in the major bookstores of Luo Province, the sales speed of Man Ying, this magazine, had a significant gap compared to Tian Yin and Huo Long, the other two major magazines in Luo Province.

By now, Rurouni Kenshin: Trust and Betrayal has become the most frequently heard work among fans in Luo Province.

Compared to Tian Yin, where Zhong Ning's Star Realm became dominant after Dong Yun left, Huo Long had two popular works alternating for the top spot.

Man Ying currently presents a situation of one super-strong contender and three strong contenders.

Dong Yun's Secret Girl, although suppressing Shen Xin's Magic Realm, did not have a significant advantage and was on the same level as Magic Realm and Tian Shu.

Only Rurouni Kenshin: Trust and Betrayal, in last week's popularity poll on Mo Ying, was in a league of its own. Not only was it the only work on Man Ying to break 40,000 in the popularity poll, but it also surpassed Dong Yun's Secret Girl by a full 10,000 votes.

Don't be fooled by the mere tens of thousands of votes. Most fans are lurkers. Even if they love a work to death in their hearts, they might not be willing to vote for their favorite work online. This is a matter of personal habit.

Having tens of thousands of popularity votes actually means the real number of fans following the work could be more than ten times that amount.

It is very clear that popularity poll rankings are all illusory, and the number of supporters is the fundamental basis for a manga artist.

Man Ying's fifth-place work had less than 10,000 votes, but it was only one rank away from Tian Shu in fourth place. In reality, the difference in fan numbers was more than two tiers.

The results of Man Ying's popularity polls over the past two weeks have told the entire Luo Province manga industry that Rurouni Kenshin: Trust and Betrayal is not only a unique existence on Man Ying, but even when placed within the entire Luo Province manga industry, and on the Tian Yin and Huo Long magazines, its popularity is also a unique existence.

It's hard to believe that this work was drawn by a newcomer.

Shui Xin, a manga artist who appeared out of nowhere at the end of this year, a person whose gender and age are still unknown to the outside world... Such a person is about to ascend to the pinnacle of the Luo Province manga industry.

And at Mo Yu Manga Company's annual gala, it is said that Shui Xin, who is now stirring up the Luo Province manga industry, will also be attending.

This has made many people in the external manga industry very much look forward to Mo Yu's annual gala tomorrow.

(Updated two chapters together, too lazy to separate them into chapters since they were written in one document.)