Chapter 263: This is Fraud Against the Readers

The work Akiwara Yuto is currently writing is "Snow Country" by Kawabata Yasunari.

This story mainly recounts the emotional entanglements of Shimamura, a dance art researcher from Tokyo who travels three times to a hot spring inn in the snow country, involving a local geisha named Komako and a girl named Yoko whom he meets by chance.

Shimamura is a middle-aged man with a wife and children, living off an inheritance and idling his time away, occasionally researching and critiquing Western dance through photographs and written materials.

He arrives at the hot spring inn in the snow country, encounters the geisha Komako, and is attracted by her pure beauty, even feeling that "every curve of her toes is very clean."

Yet Komako, as a geisha, was actually a humble maid originally.

To repay her mentor, she became engaged to Yukio, who suffered from an incurable disease, and was forced to become a geisha to pay for his medical treatment.

Komako is deeply pained by her environment and status, but she continues to pursue her love; even knowing that her love for Shimamura has no future, she is like a moth to a flame, and she is willing.

But during his second visit to see Komako, Shimamura falls for the "girl" Yoko, who is by Komako's side, and feels a desire for her beauty.

However, by the end of the story, Shimamura, a married man, does not take "Yoko" with him to Tokyo, and Yoko falls to her death in a fire.

Setting aside the profound meaning within this work, many of the sentences are extremely beautiful.

For example, "The vast Milky Way hung before his eyes, as if it wanted to embrace the vast, dark earth with its naked body."

Or, "Human affection is not even as durable as the most fragile crepe. Because those silks can at least be preserved for 50 years, while human attachment is far shorter than that."

These sentences immediately bring to mind the cold air in the article, the distant snow-capped mountains, the village inn, and the dead moths on the tatami mats.

These scenes are truly unforgettable!

"Snow Country" is about 80, 00 characters long, so it took Akiwara Yuto more than a full week to finish writing it.

After finishing, he immediately contacted Anjiu Bookstore, preparing to publish it right away.

Anjiu Bookstore.

"Akiwara-sensei, how about setting the first edition at around 30, 00 copies?" Anjiu Gangyi asked in a hesitant tone.

"So few?!" Akiwara Yuto asked in return.

"After all, this is traditional literature."

Anjiu Gangyi said helplessly.

He did not know that Akiwara Yuto wanted to prove himself in traditional literature; he just felt that he had completely lost his mind, actually setting aside the hit mystery genre to write some traditional literature instead.

How many people even read that stuff nowadays!?

Akiwara Yuto frowned, finally shook his head, and said, "A first edition of 50, 00 copies. If they don't sell out, keep them all in the warehouse; I have other uses for them."

To him, the plate-making and printing costs for a few tens of thousands more or less didn't matter, but he still felt a first edition of 30, 00 copies was too low.

In fact, he planned to send a batch to some cultural institutions and book critics once they were printed.

He didn't believe that these book critics could turn a blind eye to books delivered right to their doorsteps!

Moreover, the book "Snow Country" had won the Nobel Prize in Literature and was more in line with the traditional Japanese philosophy of "mono no aware."

So he didn't think those book critics could find any faults.

In fact, he was also preparing to find the address of Yoshikawa Yuichiro's home to send him a copy, hoping he would publish a comment or two.

He didn't believe that after reading "Snow Country," the other party would still have the nerve to take him on as a disciple!

Anjiu Gangyi looked at Akiwara Yuto's determined expression and could only accept it helplessly.

Now that Anjiu Bookstore had almost become a subsidiary of the Akiwara Yuto Foundation and was even more dependent on the other party for business, he couldn't really offer any opposing opinions.

The suggestion to only print 30, 00 copies for the first edition was already his rare, loyal advice.

After making the decision, Anjiu Gangyi immediately arranged for his subordinates to begin proofreading the manuscript.

Soon, a week passed quickly.

During this time, "Snow Country" completed proofreading, plate-making, cover design, and many other tasks; all that remained was channel distribution.

However, during channel distribution, "Snow Country" encountered an awkward situation.

Bookstore preview meeting.

Anjiu Gangyi looked at the many bookstore owners sitting in the audience and subconsciously wiped the sweat from his forehead.

A bookstore owner wearing glasses held up a preview copy of "Snow Country" and said, "President Anjiu, this is Akiwara-sensei's new work, but this isn't a mystery, is it?"

Another person took over, "That's right, if it were a mystery, we would have ordered it, but let's skip the traditional literature!"

"Exactly, it definitely won't sell."

"Who even reads traditional literature nowadays?"

"President Anjiu, you should also properly advise Akiwara-sensei!"

"Tell him not to neglect his proper work!"

Facing everyone's questioning, Anjiu Gangyi wiped his sweat while loudly urging, "I hope everyone can take a look before making a decision!"

While speaking, he complained about Akiwara Yuto in his heart again.

Why couldn't you just stay a good mystery writer instead of doing traditional literature, making me look like a fool to everyone?

Just then, a middle-aged man stood up and said in an impolite tone, "Sorry, I represent Shimoda Bookstore, and I don't intend to order a single copy!"

Anjiu Gangyi panicked, subconsciously sizing up the other party and wondering if he had some grudge against him.

But after thinking about the other party's information for a moment, he realized that wasn't the case.

Before this, the cooperation between him and Shimoda Bookstore had been very pleasant, and Shimoda Bookstore had even ordered large quantities of Akiwara Yuto's other works.

Just then, the middle-aged man bowed deeply again and continued, "President Anjiu, let me explain why I am not ordering."

"In the eyes of many readers, Akiwara Yuto has become synonymous with high-quality mystery. Under these circumstances, if you release a work of pure literature, these readers are very likely to buy this work home thinking it is a mystery."

His emotions became agitated, "But in my view, this is fraud! Fraud against the readers! So sorry, forgive me, I cannot accept this!"

He knew his words might offend Anjiu Gangyi, but he was the manager of a bookstore after all, and he had an obligation to be responsible to the readers.

So he didn't even bother with the face-saving gesture of ordering 50 copies; he stood up directly to voice his protest!

He bowed again, then turned and pushed the door open to walk out.

As he walked out the door, he added one more sentence: "If possible, I suggest Akiwara Yuto use a different pen name to create pure literature! That would be responsible to the readers!"

After he left, some other bookstore owners also stood up one after another and announced they were leaving.

Looking at the few bookstore owners left in the room, Anjiu Gangyi revealed a rare, bitter smile...