Even though it was relatively easy for Lin Yu to earn reputation points now, he still felt a pang of regret every time he thought about those two ridiculous gacha pulls.
If he'd known this would happen, wouldn't it have been better to spend those points on improving his manga skills instead? Now, twenty thousand points had gone straight down the drain.
Hearing his complaint, Nanako covered her mouth and giggled softly.
She was so used to seeing Lin Yu's usual serious demeanor that this mildly sulky version of him was unexpectedly entertaining.
"If you don't mind, Lin-kun... why don't you tell me what happened?"
As time passed, the serialization of Inuyasha—which began on a Monday—quickly caught the attention of countless readers. In just a few days, the hype only grew stronger.
As a phenomenon-level work, its ability to captivate was truly exceptional.
Even when Lin Yu was working part-time at the sushi shop, he could spot customers reading Shonen Weekly, glued to the pages of Inuyasha.
With such momentum, the first week flew by in the blink of an eye.
And over at Yourong Publishing, the editorial team had spent the week preparing for a reassessment of Inuyasha. They'd now decide whether the manga was suited to the broader public's tastes and use the feedback to determine future publication layout and resource allocation.
"Lin-kun, the first week's results will be released tonight. Are you feeling nervous?"
Inside the sushi shop, Lin Yu had just finished tracing a page when Nanako asked the question.
He handed the page over with a calm smile and shook his head.
"I'm fine. I have confidence in my work."
To be honest, Lin Yu hadn't been anxious about it at all.
If, after launching, Inuyasha still managed to flop, even with its top-tier content, then there wouldn't be much he could do anyway. Some things just aren't up to worry to fix.
Nanako smiled, eyes crinkling with a glimmer of warmth.
Aside from the initial rush to meet deadlines, Lin Yu had always been confident in his creation. Lately, he didn't even seem stressed during the drawing process anymore—his speed had gone up, and so had the quality.
He could often finish a page in one go, without needing multiple drafts like before.
Nanako noticed all of these changes and appreciated them. Thankfully, she still received some of his practice drafts now and then.
From her perspective, the drawings were already perfect. She never understood why Lin Yu would sometimes insist on redrawing them.
But privately, she was delighted.
She had kept every discarded page and now had a thick stack of them. Aside from Lin Yu himself, she might be the most knowledgeable person about Inuyasha in this world.
At this rate, Nanako might complete a full collection before the official volume releases.
She genuinely adored Inuyasha—a story full of romance and emotional entanglements—and that's why she cherished even the discarded pages.
"Oh right, Lin-kun, you still haven't taken care of that phone issue, have you?"
"How about coming to my house tonight? The editorial department should be sending me the results later tonight, and this way you can hear the news as soon as I do."
The phone... right. Lin Yu had honestly forgotten all about it.
He had planned to get one, but this world wasn't as tech-driven as his last one. Without a phone, life wasn't all that inconvenient, and eventually, he just stopped thinking about it.
Hearing Nanako's suggestion jogged his memory.
Still, he hesitated.
"Wouldn't it be rude to visit your home so late?"
"It's no trouble! Shinobu-chan will be there too."
Nanako gave him a wink and a bright smile.
With that assurance, Lin Yu agreed. He was curious to know how readers in this world truly felt about Inuyasha.
Of course, what gave him pause was Nanako's father—Ohara Shijiro—the ultimate overprotective "daughter-con." That could be a bit of a headache.
But if Kanda Tori Shinobu was going too, then things would be more manageable.
"In that case, I'll be in your care tonight."
Nanako beamed, carefully storing the finished manuscript page. She looked quite pleased.
Meanwhile, Lin Yu made a mental note—it was probably time he finally bought a phone. It really was getting inconvenient not to have one.
That evening, after their shifts, Lin Yu walked with Nanako and Kanda Shinobu toward her house.
Along the way, Nanako kept glancing at her phone, anxiously waiting for a message from the editorial team. Honestly, she seemed more nervous than Lin Yu himself.
"Dad, I'm home!"
As soon as they stepped through the door, Nanako called out cheerfully. Before the words even faded, a middle-aged man with a poker face hurried out, his eyes brimming with affection.
"Nanako! Do you want some warm milk? I'll go heat some up for you—"
Just as he spoke, he noticed Shinobu and Lin Yu behind her. His expression froze, an awkward air settling over him.
He quickly coughed into his hand, trying to compose himself with an air of dignity.
"Ah, Shinobu's here too. And this...?"
His eyes flicked toward Lin Yu, instantly radiating fatherly suspicion—like a farmer guarding his precious cabbage patch from an approaching wild boar.
"This is Aomatsu-sensei, the manga artist I'm currently managing. I invited him over to discuss work matters."
Nanako introduced him cheerfully, and Lin Yu politely greeted the older man.
"Nice to meet you, Ohara-sensei. Sorry for bothering you so late."
"Don't just stand there—come in, have a seat. I'll make you some tea."
Nanako, ever the perfect host, led them into the living room, humming happily as she went to prepare the tea.
Lin Yu and Shinobu sat on the sofa. Shinobu seemed very much at ease, clearly no stranger to the place.
Lin Yu, on the other hand, felt that Ohara Shijiro's gaze had been fixed on him ever since he entered the house.
The man's glasses caught the overhead light, obscuring his eyes, but the effect was eerily similar to a certain detective from an old anime.
Any second now, Lin Yu half-expected him to point a finger and declare, "There's only one truth!"
Under such scrutiny, Lin Yu felt a little awkward, but he reminded himself—they were only here to check the manga's performance results. It would all be over soon.
Before long, Nanako returned with a tray of tea. She noticed her father's intense gaze and gave Lin Yu an apologetic smile.
"Sorry about that. My dad's just like this—occupational habit. He's always trying to find inspiration in people around him..."