CHAPTER 669: CHAPTER 668: PUBLIC OPINION (PART 2)

"Is something seriously wrong?"

Xia Yu slightly reined in her smile.

"You should hurry up and check Weibo, looking at the trending news works too!" Eriina said.

"Please, have a seat," Xia Yu gestured to the two to sit as she fished her phone out from a pile of papers, checked the news on the portal site, then visited her personal social media platform, and grazed around. Soon, the whole truth became clear.

"This couldn’t be kept secret, after all."

She frowned slightly and spoke calmly, "He visited so openly just a few days after the event, when the buzz was still at its peak. He should have prepared himself to be exposed and make the news."

"Ah?!"

Hearing this, Eriina and Tiqie Helinai looked at her perplexedly, not expecting Xia Yu’s words to criticize Kubo Ryunosuke for his lack of airtight handling and consideration. It seemed as if she was concerned for the well-being of the famous mangaka.

"But this involves you too, aren’t you the least bit worried? The key factor is public opinion! Public opinion!"

Public opinion, the sentiment of the masses.

This has been the most powerful verbal weapon against public figures since time immemorial, toppling many a strong figure.

Eriina and Tiqie Helinai had rushed over through the night, fearing that escalating public opinion would cause trouble for Xia Yu. Once affected by external factors, one’s mentality could not help but shift.

Conversely, rejecting the mangaka Mr. Kubo wasn’t even a question they posed.

"Let them say what they want to," Xia Yu shrugged. "People’s mouths are theirs to use!"

"Then... should we post a personal statement on Twitter or Weibo?" Tiqie Helinai bit her lip, still a bit worried.

"Post shit, let’s eat!"

Xia Yu put down her phone and turned to the kitchen, bringing over several plates of steaming dishes. Zhu Qing followed, untieing her apron with a cheerful smile, "The tree that stands out in the forest is the one that the wind blows down."

"Yu, this incident should serve as a reminder for you. You’re standing too high right now, too dazzling. Indeed, it proves you’re outstanding, but in dealing with people, you need to be more tactful, not arrogant and stubborn, following only your own path. Couldn’t you have been a bit more diplomatic when that mangaka came knocking, given him a way out?"

Zhu Qing suddenly became a life coach, doling out her advice in a serious tone.

"Is there a problem with doing things my own way?" Xia Yu wondered, clearly surprised.

"It’s not about whether there’s a problem..."

Zhu Qing, meeting the bright and clear eyes of her junior, began to speak but abruptly shut her mouth, "Alright! No problem!"

They sat down to eat.

Eriina and Tiqie Helinai did not leave immediately. They stayed seated at the small table that Xia Yu had commandeered as a desk, cluttered with sheets of paper and pencil stubs. The wastebasket nearby also contained many crumpled up pieces of paper.

"Hey!"

Eriina’s tension had eased by now, and with Xia Yu’s calm aura dispelling their anxiety. Eriina’s eyes swept over the table, perhaps out of professional habit. When she caught sight of a sheet of white paper, a stern look suddenly crossed her face.

"Is this... a quick sketch?" Eriina glanced sideways at Xia Yu and Zhu Qing, who were chatting over their meal, then pursed her lips, her eyes filled with intense curiosity. The clutter on the table indicated it was a practice piece from a recent creative effort.

Recalling how Xia Yu had been holding a pencil when she barged in, Eriina’s clear blue eyes sparkled with a strange mirth. She shook with laughter, hand over her mouth.

"What are you laughing at?"

Tiqie Helinai asked in a low voice from beside her, visibly annoyed. She thought the blond was mocking her and, out of consideration for Zhu Qing and Xia Yu, had to repress her irritation as she glared at her close friend.

"No, it’s not that..." Eriina struggled to articulate a response but pulled out one of the practice sketches instead, pointing to it, "This is a drawing by Chef Xia, Instructor Xia! Let’s appreciate it together!"

Her tone was teasing, playful.

Of course, Eriina meant no harm; a chef is a living person after all, and besides culinary skills, having other hobbies for self-cultivation, such as drawing, is quite normal.

The two of them focused on Xia Yu’s practice drawing. Uh!

The golden-haired loser who had been snickering just a second ago now had a face filled with astonishment.

"No way, this can’t be possible!"

Eriina stared at the character sketch on the paper – an ancient chef with an ice blade, a half-weathered face under a hood. Although there was no background drawn, the character’s posture clearly indicated that the chef was climbing, his eyes shining with an unyielding spirit and determination never to look back!

Details!

Even Tiqie Helinai, a layman in this field, was captivated by the drawing when she saw it.

Unlike the ordinary manga characters commonly seen, the details in this character sketch were too rich: the muscles bulging on the outstretched left arm grasping the ice blade, the weather-beaten lines on the face, the sparkle in the eyes, the wrinkles of the robe on the body, and the scars from knife cuts on the bare feet...

A presence that hit you squarely in the face!

After studying the drawing intently for a long time, Eriina noticed her suspiciously paranoid friend, Eriina, flipping through a pile of sketching practice drawings like a madwoman. The more she looked, the more chaotic her emotions became.

"Given enough time, most artists could achieve this level, right?" said Helinai softly. There were plenty of excellent artists in this era, and after countless bombings by exquisite CG original paintings on the internet, this practice drawing seemed stunning at first. But after a few more looks, it was just an uncolored line drawing.

"That’s not how you should put it! You need to look at the details in the drawing skill!"

Eriina pointed at the practice drawing in Helinai’s hand, "Take the character’s physique, the human body, for instance. There’s a lot to learn about that. These days, there are many schools of thought on drawing the human body. How shall I put it? Chef Xia’s drawing technique leans more towards realism, and as for the style..."

She struggled to find words as she flipped through the uneven practice drawings.

Clearly a beginner’s work, with chaotic styles, but the techniques gave off a very solid and even heart-thumping impression. What exactly is going on here? Eriina silently criticized.

Before long.

The two bid farewell to Xia Yu and Zhu Qing, but before they left, Eriina made a point of asking Xia Yu for the ancient ice-climbing chef’s sketch.

...

Life had to go on.

Xia Yu had only shifted part of his time to getting accustomed to drawing. To reach the level of a professional manga artist, he still had to integrate scriptwriting, storyboarding, design, and other skills.

Although there was a personal interest in learning manga, if it wasn’t for the reward of 20 Talent Points and one Supreme Lottery draw from the mission, he wouldn’t have to bother spending time on this. He would rather spend more time guiding his students.

He had to maintain his focus on culinary arts!

In the following two days, with the tacit low profile of Xia Yu and Kubo Ryunosuke, the media heat slowly subsided, and the fans who had fought a battle on forums and social platforms called it a day.

That day.

Kubo Ryunosuke’s personal studio welcomed an unexpected visitor.

"Chef Lei Zhe!"

Kubo Ryunosuke bowed respectfully as he opened the door, facing a sudden visit from the Lin Giant, his heart jittery.

"Mr. Kubo, would you accept me as the collaborative culinary researcher for your gourmet shonen manga?" Lei Zhe asked slowly.

Ah!

Kubo Ryunosuke was dumbfounded by the Lin Chef collaborator that had seemingly fallen from the sky, and after a while, he stammered with trepidation, "Are you sure?"

The studio assistants looked at one another in shock.

A Lin Chef collaborator; this was a first in the manga industry. Even the hottest food manga that managed to invite special chefs was enough to uphold a professional and authoritative reputation. Including Kubo Ryunosuke himself, nobody could imagine the upheaval in the food and manga worlds once this news came out.

"I don’t want a salary, only a small request."

"Please say it—"

Kubo Ryunosuke said humbly.

At that moment, the gloom he’d held for two days, having been rejected by a star chef from the Sapporo competition, was completely swept away!