Although Inuyasha hadn't yet begun serialization in a magazine and Lin Yu's name was still unknown to the public, from the way Yuuei Publishing treated him, it was clear—fame was only a matter of time.
"Sensei Qingsong, I'll be counting on you from now on," Nanako said with a bright smile, the stern professionalism she wore at work now replaced with relaxed friendliness as they stepped out of the headquarters.
Lin Yu chuckled and waved his hand. "Don't call me that. Just talk to me like before. It's weird being called 'Sensei' all of a sudden."
He smiled. "Really, I should be thanking you. Things went so smoothly today thanks to your referral."
"As a thank-you, how about dinner tonight?"
Having just landed a contract with one of Japan's top publishers, Lin Yu no longer had any hesitation asking such a thing. Even though it was only his first signed work, the company had already handed over payment—10,000 yen per page.
The first chapter alone had plenty of pages, and holding tens of thousands of yen in hand made Lin Yu finally feel like he could stand tall. No more surviving on instant noodles. No more worrying about starving in a dark corner due to lack of cash.
"Well, since Lin-kun insists, let's go after work," Nanako smiled, not refusing.
It was a moment worth celebrating, after all. And discovering a diamond in the rough like Lin Yu? That was something any editor would be proud of.
Besides, now that Yuuei had assigned her to oversee his future work, it made sense to strengthen their relationship. Editing sounded glamorous, but once the deadline loomed, she'd be the one begging him to hand in pages on time.
Just like her father's editor, who was basically his full-time babysitter now.
Honestly, the thought alone was terrifying.
—
They took the train back to Kasukabe.
It was a round trip of over three hours, and by the time they returned to the sushi shop, customers had already begun to fill the place.
The owner stood in the gap of the conveyor sushi line, masterfully crafting dishes one after another.
"Sorry, we got back late," Lin Yu said apologetically. He hadn't worked here long, but he genuinely appreciated the owner who had helped him when he was down and out.
"No worries. It's still early, and Kanda's helping out, so we're not too swamped," the owner replied.
Lin Yu blinked as he changed into his work clothes. "Kanda?"
He'd been working here for two days and had never heard that name. Until now, it had always just been him and Nanako running the floor.
As he pondered this, the kitchen door swung open and a deep, rough voice echoed in.
"Boss, the beer's been moved in."
Lin Yu turned and saw a tall, burly figure carrying a case of beer. The person had short, square-cut blond hair that looked like it had been shaped with a lawn trimmer, and two little braids hanging down from the back of their head.
Their face was… wild. That was the only word Lin Yu could find. Chubby cheeks, thick features, and an intimidating aura.
Still, the feminine features were noticeable enough to avoid confusion.
Upon seeing Nanako and Lin Yu in the kitchen, the figure broke into a wide, friendly smile.
"Nanako, you're back!"
Looking at this person, Lin Yu's thoughts flicked back to something he'd shelved for later confirmation. And now, standing face to face with her, he was nearly certain—
Wasn't this the same woman who, in Crayon Shin-chan, had planted a passionate kiss on Shin-chan?
He didn't remember her name, but that scene was forever burned into his memory.
"Thanks for your help today, Shinobu," Nanako said warmly, before turning to Lin Yu. "This is my good friend, Kanda Torinobu. I knew I'd be asking for time off today, so I asked her to end her vacation early and help us out."
Lin Yu nodded. As expected, girls really were better at thinking through details like this.
He gave Torinobu a polite smile and a slight bow. "Nice to meet you. I'm Lin Yu. Thank you for your help."
Torinobu set the beer down and gave a hearty, almost bashful laugh. "Nice to meet you! I've already heard a lot about you from Nanako. She said you're an incredibly talented manga artist. But wow—I didn't expect you to be so handsome too..."
Her voice trailed off into a giggle, and her cheeks flushed ever so slightly.
Lin Yu smiled calmly but tensed a little on the inside. He remembered very clearly that this character had a habit of… getting overly affectionate with handsome guys.
Sure, she was a nice person at heart, but that didn't mean he was looking forward to being the next target of her enthusiasm.
"Too kind, really," he said quickly. "We should get out there. There are a lot of customers waiting."
With that, he made a quick exit to the front.
—
Seeing Kanda Torinobu had pretty much confirmed it for Lin Yu.
This world he had transmigrated into... it was Crayon Shin-chan.
A series he knew inside and out.
And that knowledge, while comforting in some ways, also made him a little uneasy. Sure, the show was full of heartwarming slice-of-life moments, but there were also plenty of wacky, unpredictable characters.
Like Torinobu, who could easily catch him off guard if she got too friendly.
Still, he pushed the thoughts aside and got to work.
The tiny sushi shop felt even smaller now that Torinobu was there. Maybe it was just her presence—or maybe the place was actually more crowded than usual. Either way, it was bustling.
But with three people handling the rush, the load was definitely lighter.
As Lin Yu cleared plates and wiped tables, his mind drifted.
He'd solved his immediate survival problem. No more starving. No more scraping by.
Now it was time to plan for the future. And that started with improving his quality of life.
Inuyasha's successful pitch meant he no longer had to fear for his next meal. And as long as nothing went wrong… this was only the beginning.