Chapter 135: Wei Ming

"How much?"

"Eighty... eighty thousand!"

In Mo Du, the editorial office of "Harvest," Li Xiaolin was discussing circulation figures with other editors, all of them astonished.

Eighty thousand—not only surpassing "Harvest"’s highest circulation, but also breaking "People's Literature"’s own record—how could they be so confident?!

"People's Literature" had many reasons for its confidence: first, it was a monthly, each issue small in size and low in price, just forty fen.

Whereas "Harvest," "Contemporary," and other bimonthly or quarterly journals started at one yuan, challenging readers’ wallets, so "People's Literature" found it easier to achieve high sales.

Also, the quality of this issue: two powerful reformist literary works, one being the sequel to last year’s huge sensation "Director Qiao," plus Wei Ming’s animal series, which received unanimous praise from the editorial staff.

Moreover, during the first print run, the songs in the novel were recorded and began spreading widely through the Central and Yanjing radio stations.

With these advantages, eighty thousand was merely their baseline.

One editor asked: "Xiaolin, do you think 'People's Literature' will break a million in circulation?"

The first literary magazine ever to break a million in circulation?

That title would let "People's Literature" gloat for decades.

Just as they were thinking this, Editor Kong returned carrying a stack of magazines, shouting as he walked: "I bought them!"

The editors immediately gathered around—he had bought this issue of "People's Literature" on behalf of several editors, including Li Xiaolin.

After receiving the magazine, Li Xiaolin immediately opened it; some read in order, starting with "Director Qiao’s Sequel," but she still began with Wei Ming’s "The Spring of the Sheep Herding Class."

The story began with a group of unruly rural elementary students—the so-called sheep herding class—introducing several vividly drawn mischievous kids, but what impressed Li Xiaolin even more were the principal and his son, the village chief: a wildly inverted father-son pair, yet in that insane era, it somehow felt normal.

Then the male lead, Professor Zhong the music teacher, appeared—a figure who instantly caught the eye, radiating an unmistakable optimism.

Though his physical injuries hinted at the hardships he had endured, and though he had once cried out, "Where is spring?", he always smiled at people, his ability to find joy amid suffering deeply admirable.

For instance, upon his debut, his dwelling leaked everywhere from the rain; he arranged bowls and jars to catch the water, and when the rain stopped, he didn’t pour it out—instead, he adjusted the pitch by the depth of water in each container, turning the pots, jars, and bowls into instruments, then improvising a melody with chopsticks, secretly jotting down the tune he had just composed.

Wei Ming clearly understood music deeply; his descriptions were meticulous, as if a beautiful melody truly floated out from the words.

Li Xiaolin suddenly realized: the title of Chapter One was "Where Is Spring?"—she had recently heard a song with that exact name, a children’s tune sung by a little girl.

She continued reading: to avoid labor, Professor Zhong and the principal struck a deal and took over the sheep herding class, which initially had only three students.

Professor Zhong never saw himself as an educator with a mission; his initial thought was simply: these three can’t run off too!

So, with his naturally playful nature, he pulled out all the stops to charm the three boys, who then went home praising how wonderful Professor Zhong was—students gradually poured in, and the rest of the story unfolded naturally.