Chapter Fifty: The Parents' Shock

Just as he was thinking he didn’t have much money, Wei Xiyue from Xiling Publishing called him.

“Is this Zhou Xuan? I’ve transferred your royalty payment for this month based on twenty percent of one million copies sold—exactly 2,570,000 yuan. Please check and give me a call afterward,” Wei Xiyue said politely.

“All right, Editor-in-Chief Wei,” Zhou Xuan replied cheerfully.

“You’re welcome. It’s what we should do,” Wei Xiyue responded with a hint of weariness, clearly going through a rough patch lately.

A faint smirk crept across Zhou Xuan’s lips. Without the backing of Deng Cheng and the others, would Wei Xiyue have been so courteous?

“So, how are the sales of ‘The Ming Dynasty’ so far?”

The book had been on sale for nineteen days, and Zhou Xuan was eager to know the current figures.

“Congratulations, Zhou Xuan. ‘The Ming Dynasty’ is expected to surpass one million copies sold today. A book reaching one million copies in just twenty days hasn’t happened in decades. You’ve made history and set a new record!” Wei Xiyue’s tone carried both envy and regret.

“Heh, I didn’t expect it to sell this well. Just luck, really,” Zhou Xuan said modestly.

Wei Xiyue’s face twitched slightly. Could luck be that good?

After hanging up, Zhou Xuan exhaled quietly. Finally, money had come.

Feeling the sluggishness of the long-distance bus and thinking about how often he’d have to go to the provincial capital from now on, he decided it was time to buy a car.

After six hours of bumpy travel, the bus finally arrived at the small county bus station. Zhou Xuan got off, hailed a tricycle, and headed towards the clothing store.

Upon entering, he saw his parents attending to customers, so he slipped into the back office to check the recent sales figures.

Opening the report, the system-generated sales chart clearly showed the sales over the past month and a half.

Aside from just over 9,000 yuan in sales on New Year’s Day, sales surged to over 15,000 yuan on January 1st and nearly 19,000 yuan on January 3rd. The total sales for the first three days of the New Year reached over 43,000 yuan.

In January, the store was closed only on New Year's Eve and the first day of the lunar year, operating for twenty-six days, with total sales exceeding 250,000 yuan and profits over 60,000 yuan. In the first half of February, sales were over 140,000 yuan, with profits exceeding 30,000 yuan.

Overall, the figures were excellent. After a month and a half of business, deducting rent, utilities, and living expenses, the net income was around 70,000 yuan.

The total investment was less than 100,000 yuan, meaning the costs were recouped in just one and a half months. Zhou Xuan hadn’t expected it to be this profitable.

He recalled that around the year 2000, many clothing stores had opened along Culture Street—franchise stores, outlets, and large clothing markets.

It wasn’t until then that the clothing business began to face difficulties. However, franchise outlets and clearance sales still did well, even with the impact of the internet. If a product sold well online, the physical stores sold well too.

“How is it? Not bad, right? Nearly 70,000 yuan in revenue in a month and a half,” Zhou Xuan was thinking aloud when his father appeared beside him.

“Dad, not bad at all. Looks like opening this clothing store was the right choice, huh?” Zhou Xuan asked with a bright smile.

Seeing his father’s beaming face, Zhou Xuan felt truly happy. After coming back to life and accomplishing so much, this was the first thing that genuinely brought him joy.

“Haha, that’s my son. You’re doing so well, we can rest easy now. But since you have this much money, you still need to study hard and get into a good university. Don’t be like those prodigies who waste their talents. Money is enough, but what matters most is having a good character. As long as you live a happy life, that’s what counts,” his father said with pride and earnestness.

Hearing this, Zhou Xuan smiled, “Don’t worry, Dad. I won’t neglect my studies, and the business won’t stop either. I set up this small shop mainly for you to gain experience so that someday you can open your own clothing company and create your own brand. As for me, I have other ventures—I’ve already established a company in the provincial capital.”

“What?” His father was stunned. Zhou Xuan had only gone to the provincial capital for a couple of days, and now he had started a company there?

Zhou Xuan hadn’t intended to hide the fact that he had started a company. Since he would be traveling to Rongcheng often and needing to ask for leave from school, it was better for his parents to know from the start to avoid complications later.

“Yes, I started a software company. Wei Lian is in charge of operations in Rongcheng, and my third uncle works there as well. We have an investor who put in ten million yuan and owns thirty percent of the shares. So, you’re looking at a multimillionaire right now.”

“Bang!” The clothes hanger his father was holding fell to the floor, and he was left speechless with shock.

Zhou Xuan could imagine his father’s feelings—he had been the head of a family making less than five thousand yuan a year, and now his son had suddenly become a millionaire.

“Is it really true?” His father finally asked, disbelief lingering.

“Of course it is. Do you think I’d lie to you? Oh, by the way, I recently wrote a novel called ‘Stories of the Ming Dynasty.’ It’s selling very well, and the publisher just transferred this month’s royalties to me—over two and a half million yuan.”

“What? You wrote ‘Stories of the Ming Dynasty’? No wonder the author’s name sounded familiar. I even bought a copy because I heard it was popular,” his father said. He had seen the novel but hadn’t realized that Zhou Xuan was the author, as Zhou Xuan had never disclosed his pen name. It had only been mentioned once in passing by an uncle, and his father hadn’t remembered.

Now discovering that Zhou Xuan was the author who had earned over two million yuan in royalties in just one month was incredible. Thinking about the monthly royalties in the future made him even more stunned.

Zhou Xuan’s revelations overwhelmed his father. Previously, he could accept Zhou Xuan earning some royalties from writing, but suddenly making millions and starting a company worth tens of millions in the provincial capital was hard to believe.

After a long moment, his father sighed deeply, “Well done, son. Truly well done! I don’t even know what to say.”

“Ha ha, you’ll get used to it,” Zhou Xuan said with a smile.

Having said everything, Zhou Xuan felt a weight lift off his chest. Now that his parents knew, his future plans would be easier to carry out.

Soon after, his mother came over. Zhou Xuan had no choice but to tell her as well, which left her so excited she was nearly speechless.