Chapter 127: The Meeting

The electric shaver buzzed softly, removing the stubble at the corner of his mouth—Zhang Tan’s first shave. He shaved with practiced ease. This routine had been repeated countless times in his previous life. As a true man who grew a full beard, his chin, neck, and cheeks all sprouted hair. Because he was willing to grow a beard, he had been reluctant to shave before, fearing that the more he shaved, the thicker and coarser it would become, making it troublesome.

Three minutes later, he had thoroughly shaved off all the hair. He splashed water on his chin, now smooth and sleek. The reflection in the mirror showed a young man with a compact face. He wasn’t exactly handsome, but his features were at least well-proportioned, and his skin was quite fair. Sometimes, fair skin can mask imperfections, lending a certain charm. This was Zhang Tan’s new look—somewhat like a youthful lead, but without any trace of softness.

“Not bad,” Zhang Tan assessed himself honestly, without vanity.

The book signing event was scheduled for two o’clock in the afternoon. After tidying his appearance, Zhang Tan retreated to his room to practice his signature. His pen name, Tan Zhang, was fairly simple, and in cursive, it flowed in a single, unbroken stroke. But Zhang Tan sought not only simplicity but elegance.

Like the person behind the pen, the signature needed to embody his identity. As a bestselling author and a leading figure in the Great Six martial arts literary circle, Zhang Tan cared deeply about his image.

“Some celebrities have signatures that twist and turn in ways no one can decipher—clearly a sign of illiteracy. As a man of culture, I must ensure my signature carries meaning. I must never imitate those celebrity scribbles.”

He spent the entire morning experimenting with several styles before selecting the final design. After lunch and a brief rest, he resumed practicing until the sound of car horns echoed outside.

At one o’clock, Li Yan arrived by car to pick him up for the signing event in Hefei. Zhang Tan gathered his essentials—phone, credit card, wallet—and followed Li Yan to the venue. Around 1:40 p.m., they arrived at Yuan Yi Times Square.

Yuan Yi Times Square was a shopping center named after the Xiangxiang Yuan Yi Group, which had many investments in Hefei, including shopping malls, golf courses, restaurants, and real estate. The square lay close to Hefei Train Station, and before the exhibition center shifted southward, it was the most prosperous area in the new station district.

With convenient transportation and a steady flow of people, it attracted numerous upscale stores. Today was New Year’s Day, with clear weather. Merchants hadn’t missed the holiday business opportunity, displaying promotional signs outside their shops. The temperature rose under the sun, and the bustling crowds made the entire square lively.

The liveliest spot was undoubtedly the center of the square, where a stage had been erected. Behind it stood a massive poster wall.

The poster featured an ink painting. A figure wearing a felt hat bent his bow pointed skyward, where two grayish-white eagles circled amid fluffy clouds. The ink painting took up half the poster; the other half showcased a book cover gleaming with five large characters—“The Legend of the Condor Heroes.” Surrounding the book were multiple lines of text in various fonts and sizes:

“Zhang Tan’s Masterpiece ‘The Legend of the Condor Heroes’ Book Signing.”

“A hero’s greatness lies in serving the country and honor.”

“Bend the bow, shoot the eagle; heroes emerge one after another.”

“Great master of Great Six martial arts literature, Tan Zhang awaits you in Hefei.”

“Time: January 1, 2003, 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.”

This was the location of Zhang Tan’s signing event.

On the stage in front of the poster stood a table draped in red cloth. Beside it was a large stack of new books—the sixth volume of “The Legend of the Condor Heroes.” Roughly three to four hundred copies. While not a huge quantity, considering the two-hour signing window, it was sufficient. Many readers would also bring their own copies to be signed.

“That’s where the signing is?” Zhang Tan asked, rolling down the car window.

“Yes,” Li Yan replied excitedly. “It’s even better than I imagined. Look at this line—it’s so long, there must be at least a few hundred people already, and it might reach a thousand soon. This signing is already a success.”

The line wound through the square in three bends; many held copies of the book. Clearly, these were Zhang Tan’s avid fans.

“Not bad, not bad,” Zhang Tan felt reassured and a bit proud. He was officially a celebrity with fans now.

Those attending the signing could be considered his staunch supporters.

“See that camera over there? That’s Hefei Television’s reporter, ready to cover your signing as local news.”

Zhang Tan followed Li Yan’s gaze to a cameraman filming the poster wall. Behind him, a female reporter held a microphone in one hand and a small mirror in the other, checking her makeup.

Everything felt new and exciting to Zhang Tan.

Li Yan parked nearby, then led Zhang Tan toward the stage. A deputy director from Anhui Literary and Art Publishing House greeted them warmly.

“Xiao Zhang is here,” he said with a smile. Zhang Tan recognized him—they had shared a meal before—and nodded in response.

The deputy director checked his watch. It was 1:50 p.m. “Shall we go up? Li Yan, please assist with hosting.”

“Sure,” Li Yan agreed promptly.

The staff began maintaining order. Li Yan and Zhang Tan circled behind the poster wall and approached the stage from the other side of the queue.

At the table, Li Yan took the microphone from a staff member and addressed the crowd, “Hello everyone, the author of ‘The Legend of the Condor Heroes,’ Tan Zhang, has arrived.”

The loudspeaker instantly energized the previously dull queue.

Zhang Tan waved cooperatively, exuding a casual elegance and poise.

The line stirred; a dozen or so fans couldn’t help shouting his pen name aloud.

“Tan Zhang!”

“Tan Zhang!”

The TV reporter who had been checking her makeup quickly directed the cameraman to film Zhang Tan. She approached with the microphone, ready to conduct an interview.

But the interview would be delayed briefly. After Li Yan’s introduction, Zhang Tan was invited to say a few words to his fans.

Taking the microphone, Zhang Tan, who was usually eloquent and witty, suddenly found himself at a loss for words.

It was his first signing event, after all.

He felt a bit nervous and out of practice.

Wanting to warm up the atmosphere but fearing a misstep, he spoke in a straightforward, official tone: “I’m very happy to meet everyone today and grateful to Anhui Literary and Art Publishing House for organizing this signing. I wrote ‘The Legend of the Condor Heroes’ with great care, and I hope you can feel my sincerity through the words. Thank you.”

That was all he said.

Li Yan was a little stunned. She hadn’t expected the usually humorous Zhang Tan to speak so briefly. Had she known, she would have prepared a speech for him in advance to avoid the awkward silence.

Many fans were still waiting for a lengthy speech.

Fortunately, the reporter stepped in: “Tan Zhang, hello. I am Fang Hui from Hefei Television’s ‘Evening News.’ May I have a moment of your time for an interview?”

“Certainly,” Zhang Tan replied, straightening up as the camera focused on him.