Crossover: Pen name: Dazai Osamu, Omega Kasumigaoka

Just as Kitahara was absentmindedly pondering which grape to eat, a cell phone ring suddenly interrupted his thoughts.

Mai Sakurajima got up and handed him her phone.

"Hey, Editor-in-Chief Yamamoto, what's up?"

"Author Kitahara, are you watching TV right now?"

"television?"

Kitahara Shin glanced at the television in front of him and said.

"I'm watching."

"Then quickly watch NHK!"

"NHK?"

A hint of doubt flashed in Kitahara Makoto's eyes.

NHK, also known as the Japan Broadcasting Corporation, is the first radio and television station in Japan to cover the entire country.

It is one of the five major television stations.

It is also Japan's uncrowned 'CCTV'.

Genichiro Miyama sounded somewhat anxious.

Kitahara Shin then took the remote control and switched the channel to NHK.

"Recently, the new book 'Norwegian Wood,' written by renowned young Chinese author Makoto Kitahara, has become a bestseller in the North American market. Let's find out more..."

This was during NHK's evening news broadcast.

The well-dressed host sat upright on the stage, while the scene behind her was a North American bookstore, showing many people buying "Norwegian Wood".

The news broadcast was short, lasting only a little over a minute.

But after the news ended.

Mai Sakurajima and Utaha Kasumigaoka were both stunned.

Mai Sakurajima said, somewhat stunned, "Makoto, you were on NHK's evening news!"

"Yes, yes..."

Kitahara Shin was also somewhat taken aback.

This is NHK's evening news.

Although it can't compare to the level of being featured on CCTV across the ocean.

But for a young writer...

This is absolutely amazing!

"Oh my god, Zhen, you're on the news!"

After regaining her senses, Kasumigaoka Utaha hugged Kitahara Makoto and screamed wildly.

Mai Sakurajima then gave her a kiss to express her excitement.

"Uuuuuuu..."

.......................................

I had dinner and drinks with my family today and got home late. Sorry! I'll try to finish another chapter around midnight.

...........................................

Chapter 45: Financial Freedom, "White Night Walk" is about to be released.

In fact, NHK wasn't the only broadcasting news that night.

The other five major private television stations in Japan also broadcast this news.

Kitahara Makoto was initially a little confused.

But after seeing that the other five major private television stations were also broadcasting it.

They immediately realized that the mastermind behind it all was Sony Columbia.

They also acquired the Japanese film and television adaptation rights to "Norwegian Wood".

The more famous "Norwegian Wood" becomes in Japan, the more money they can make from the film adaptation.

Moreover, it's a fact that "Norwegian Wood" sold quite well in North America.

Sony Columbia can only be considered as using someone else's strength against them.

It didn't take much effort.

But none of this matters anymore.

After the news was broadcast simultaneously on six major television stations.

The sales of "Norwegian Wood", which had been declining, have rebounded.

Three hundred and fifty thousand copies were sold in the new week.

Left with no other option, Shinchosha had to call Kitahara Makoto over and sign another reprint contract.

However, this time there are only one million copies.

Because it's obvious to anyone with eyes that the potential of "Norwegian Wood" is almost exhausted in a short period of time.

After all, this is a work of literature, not a commercial one.

With multiple incentives, it achieved such high sales in a short period of time.

Next, it's time to see where it lands.

After all, most of the people who wanted to buy it have already done so.

From now on, we can only rely on time and a steady, gradual approach to stabilize sales.

Shinchosha wasn't worried about not being able to sell out.

Given the current fame of "Norwegian Wood" and the current popularity of Kitahara Makoto.

Even though the weekly sales of "Norwegian Wood" have declined.

The annual shipment volume is not small.

It's hard to say whether this million will last a year.

Moreover, unlike movies, books can only be shown for one or two months.

A book can sell for thirty or forty years.

Such a long time.

Even if five million copies are printed, Shinchosha is confident that they will sell out.

However, cost is a factor to consider.

So many books piled up in the warehouse represent huge amounts of liquid cash.

Unlike Kitahara Makoto, they weren't like him who could simply sign a contract, take the money, and leave.

Their publishing house needs time to process so many books.

Considering time and operating costs.

So even if they know the books will sell out, publishers won't print that many books at once.

Although sales inevitably declined sharply in the following week.

Even so, "Norwegian Wood" still achieved a staggering sales figure of 260 million copies in two months.

A literary work that sold 2.6 million copies in two months?

Such a terrifying achievement is like a Tiger tank.

This season, it's causing quite a stir in the Japanese literary scene.

The others were thrown into chaos, leaving a scene of utter devastation.

Some people even developed 'Kitahara Makoto PTSD'.

She made up her mind that she must publish her books before or after Kitahara Makoto in the future, and absolutely not run into him!

The first printing was 500,000 copies, the second printing was 700,000 copies, the third printing was 1.5 million copies, and the fourth printing was 1 million copies.

Kitahara Makoto received 8.25 million yen for the fourth time.

By this point, "Norwegian Wood" had earned him a total of 28.809 billion yen.

Even converted to US dollars, it amounts to 26 million dollars.

At this time, in Beverly Hills, the so-called most prestigious residential area in the world, a villa cost only three or four million US dollars.

This money has already made him 'financial freedom' in the global sense!

……

Now that he had money, Kitahara Makoto naturally wouldn't treat himself badly.

He took Kasumigaoka Utaha, Kato Megumi, and Sakurajima Mai to Hokkaido for skiing, hot springs, gourmet food, shopping, and bought them a whole bunch of luxury goods.

In addition, he moved.

I originally thought that a 100-square-meter, four-bedroom, two-living-room apartment in Tokyo would be enough.

But unexpectedly, more and more women appeared around him.

For future convenience, this time he chose to live in Setagaya Ward, a traditional affluent area in Tokyo.

I bought a villa with an area of ​​400 square meters.

The price is 3.2 million yen.

Considering his current net worth, it's not expensive.

We've moved to a new place, which is farther away from the schools of Mai Sakurajima and Utaha Kasumigaoka.

With more cars being used, people are seeking more convenient transportation.

Kitahara Shin bought another new car, a Ferrari sports car, all red, which looks very imposing and flashy.

……

When Kitahara Makoto had everything settled and moved into his new home...

It's already mid-to-late June.

The popularity of "Norwegian Wood" has declined considerably.

Other best-selling works began to emerge, drawing away market attention.

However, these are all normal situations.

Shinchosha and Kitahara Makoto had anticipated this.

New talents emerge in every generation; no one can sit on the throne forever.

Fortunately, the monthly output of "Norwegian Wood" and "No Longer Human" is very stable.

They can sell tens of thousands of copies every month.

These two books together are like a gold mine that stretches far into the distance.

This will bring Kitahara Makoto hundreds of millions of yen in passive income every year from now on.

This is an achievement that would drive even the most discerning business writers mad with envy.

But only traditional literature has such a lasting influence.

It will not fade away with the passage of time.

Unlike commercial fiction, which sees new hit works every month.

The original best-selling works will soon be swept into the trash heap by readers without any lingering affection.

This is an achievement that they can only envy.

Besides.

The serialization of "Journey Under the Midnight Sun" is also coming to an end.