Chapter 173: The Special Fan
Then came the monotonous signing session.
During this part, the manga artists transformed into emotionless signing machines, repeatedly scribbling their names and writing additional messages as requested by fans.
"Mr. Qingshan, I'm a fan of yours."
The first fan was a cosplayer dressed as Lucy, who didn't bring a copy of *Edgerunners*. Instead, she pulled her shirt towards Lin Qingshan and stood unusually close, clearly showing a large scar on her body.
She kept casting flirtatious glances at Lin Qingshan and whispered, "Could I... get your Penguin ID?"
She was quite attractive, a professional cosplayer. Looking at the young and handsome Lin Qingshan, she felt a flutter of attraction. Initially, she had hoped just to get some contact with this popular and talented manga artist. Considering his fame, she figured she could accept him even if he wasn't to her taste. However, she was pleasantly surprised to find him not only young but also quite good-looking.
"Sorry, I don't use Penguin."
Lin Qingshan gave a "kind and friendly" smile, quickly signed her shirt, and called out, "Next!"
The Lucy cosplayer's face stiffened as she was ushered away by the staff. She was visibly upset but held back her frustration.
From a distance, Gu Qianli saw this scene and let out a sigh of relief. Her reaction caught the attention of Ito Ayumi, Wu Shiqing, Chen Chunqiang, and Yusuke Aoi.
It seemed that the relationship between Qianli and Lin Qingshan was indeed as rumored...
As Lin Qingshan's assistant and a man himself, Chen Chunqiang felt a twinge of envy. Lin Qingshan was indeed a winner in life—famous and beloved at a young age, with beautiful girls admiring him.
Yusuke Aoi, also Lin Qingshan's assistant, felt similarly but had noticed something subtle about their interactions over time.
Aside from the initial incident, Lin Qingshan continued with the expected monotonous signing.
Suddenly...
"Mr. Qingshan..."
A different kind of book appeared before him. Instead of the usual *Edgerunners* cover featuring David, this one had a half-burned face of Agni from *Flame Fist*.
"This is a *Flame Fist* volume!" Lin Qingshan noted.
The fan was a slender woman. "I'm also a fan of yours, but I'm particularly fond of *Flame Fist*. Could you sign this for me?"
"Of course."
Lin Qingshan signed the *Flame Fist* book promptly. Whether it was *Edgerunners* or *Flame Fist*, he was happy to sign for any of his fans.
Unless it was a book he didn't write, he'd find that challenging.
"I actually wanted to ask, Mr. Qingshan, what did you want to express in *Flame Fist*?"
Lin Qingshan thought for a moment and said, "From my perspective, it's about living on despite everything being a lie and seemingly meaningless."
This was Lin Qingshan's interpretation of *Flame Fist*, though he didn't know what Fujimoto Tree, the original author, intended.
"Is that so?" The fan pondered but was soon reminded by the staff to leave.
She departed slowly, clutching her signed *Flame Fist* book.
Lin Qingshan continued with the signing session, moving on to the next fan. Due to the popularity of the *Edgerunners* anime, the signing event had attracted even more fans.
He signed continuously for an entire afternoon and still didn't manage to finish. The event had a time limit, or else it would last for days due to the sheer number of fans.
Unlike the previous *Edgerunners* signing event, which continued until the last fan was served because the series hadn't yet exploded in popularity, this time there were too many fans to accommodate them all within the allotted time.
Fans left somewhat disappointed but still happy if they got Lin Qingshan's signature.
[Translator: sauron]
...
After the signing event, Lin Qingshan, Gu Qianli, Ito Ayumi, and the others prepared to drive home.
Wu Shiqing, Chen Chunqiang, and Yusuke Aoi had witnessed firsthand the grandeur of a successful manga signing event. Seeing the sea of fans and Lin Qingshan's "struggles" made them less interested in signing events themselves.
Chen Chunqiang remained envious, but Wu Shiqing and Yusuke Aoi decided they'd prefer to avoid such events if they ever became famous themselves, even avoiding revealing their names or appearances.
"Mr. Qingshan... How's your hand?"
Wu Shiqing asked with concern.
"I'm fine," Lin Qingshan said with a smile, "I'm used to it, and I have a special constitution!"
Indeed, he did have a special constitution, which he wasn't lying about.
Gu Qianli and Ito Ayumi knew Lin Qingshan had a unique constitution. At least, he had seemed perfectly normal after his last signing event.
"Alright! Let's head back!"
Lin Qingshan took out his keys, ready to drive home.
Just then...
"Chirp—chirp—chirp—"
A strange sound came from the nearby bushes.
"What's that..."
Lin Qingshan went over to the bushes and found a sparrow lying on the ground, emitting pitiful chirps. Its wing seemed pierced, explaining why it couldn't fly.
"How unfortunate..."
Lin Qingshan looked at it with sympathy.
"Qingshan..."
Gu Qianli also picked up the little sparrow with compassion.
"Alright, let's take it back and get it treated."
Lin Qingshan shared this intention.
[End of Chapter]