The next morning.
As soon as Shen Lang opened his eyes, he eagerly checked his author dashboard to see how his newly published novel was doing.
When he opened the dashboard, Shen Lang was initially stunned, then a broad, increasingly excited smile spread across his face.
Comments: 32,000
New Followers: 52,000
Reading Revenue: 42,562
Gift Revenue: 27,524
Daily Earnings: 70,086
After subtracting the 10,000 Shen Lang had tipped yesterday, the novel made over 60,000 in a single day!
What's more, the novel is only 200,000 words long, and the plot has just started.
Although it doesn't match those top-ranked novels making hundreds of thousands a day,
once the novel's word count grows, earnings could multiply several times, and the royalties alone could reach hundreds of thousands!
"It's a hit! It's a hit!"
Shen Lang excitedly opened the comments section of his novel, filled with eager readers demanding updates and a screen full of five-star reviews.
[I came in expecting a bad book from the tips, but it turns out to be a masterpiece! Please add more chapters!]
[In 2024, the best martial arts novel I've read, no contest!]
[Wow! This romance is amazing. I thought it was written by that top author, but it's actually by you?]
[What the heck, updating 200,000 words in a day? How long have you been saving up these drafts?]
"Now I don't have to worry about my parents checking up on me."
Feeling triumphant, Shen Lang closed the comments section and continued writing.
Before, without much inspiration and with slow typing speed, Shen Lang could barely write a few thousand words in a whole day.
With his two top-level talents now, Shen Lang could write at least 100,000 words a day.
Plus, he didn't have to worry about the side effects of sitting for too long—he was basically a human writing machine.
In just a week, Shen Lang's martial arts novel had reached one million words.
With its ridiculously impressive performance and update rate, it dominated various data rankings on Tomato Novel.
Even TikTok was flooded with videos promoting the novel.
Shen Lang's novel had truly taken the web fiction world by storm!
On Sunday afternoon, after finishing his drafts for the day, Shen Lang received a message from his mom, Cheng Lijuan.
"Are you trying to turn the world upside down? It's been almost two months since you came home, and you didn't even send us a text for the holidays. Are you trying to be independent?"
Just woke up: "I'll be back this afternoon. Oh, and Mom, I made a lot of money! {smug}"
Cheng Lijuan: "What, did you rob a bank?"
Shen Lang gritted his teeth and sent her a screenshot of this month's earnings.
The next moment, Cheng Lijuan's voice call came through, sounding tearful: "Are you doing something illegal lately?"
"Relax, show the screenshot to Linlin. She understands these things. It's money I made from writing novels."
There was a bit of commotion on the other end, then Linlin's astonished voice came through: "Whoa, Lao Deng, over a million! What kind of book did you write!"
Since Shen Lang had said he was done with novels before, Linlin hadn't been following Tomato Website, so she didn't know about the recent hit novel.
"I'll drive back now. Hanging up."
"Driving?! Whoa, Lao Deng, you…"
As Linlin's surprised voice trailed off, Shen Lang happily grabbed his car keys and headed to the underground parking lot.
...
Shen Lang drove his Mercedes past the national road and into a high-end neighborhood, then parked the car in his own parking space.
Shen Lang's family was well off. His mom, Cheng Lijuan, worked for a state-owned enterprise, and his dad, Shen Chengren, was a project manager at a construction company.
While they weren't living a life of luxury, Shen Lang and his two sisters hadn't really experienced much hardship growing up.
Whistling a cheerful tune, Shen Lang entered Building Three, went up to the fifth floor, and rang the doorbell of apartment 302.
Click, the security door opened quickly, and a middle-aged woman in her forties looked at Shen Lang in slight surprise, almost not recognizing him.
It's her own child, and she almost didn't recognize him? Cheng Lijuan laughed and teased, "You know, money really does change people."
Cheng Lijuan hadn't believed her introverted son could make so much money online. It was only after Linlin explained and reassured her for a while that she finally believed her previously mediocre son had finally achieved something!
In less than a month, Shen Lang made over a million—more than what Cheng Lijuan and Shen Chengren combined earned in a year!
"Back already?"
Dad Shen Chengren, holding a spatula and wearing an apron, came out from the kitchen and looked Shen Lang up and down.
Noticing his previously listless son now looking energetic, Shen Chengren nodded in approval: "Alright, go wash up. Dinner's ready."
"Okay."
Shen Lang nodded, noting that the old man still looked quite lively after a few months.
"Lao Deng, what car did you buy?!"
"Bro, I've been eyeing a few outfits lately!"
As soon as Shen Lang changed his shoes, his two sisters rushed over, with his sister Linlin even reaching into his pocket to grab the car keys.
"Wow! Mom, look, it's a Mercedes key!"
Linlin, holding the silver car key, said excitedly, "Lao Deng, I want one too! Get me one as well!!"
"Always asking for things. If you keep it up, I might just give you a couple of slaps."
Shen Lang snatched the car key away, annoyed: "You don't even have a driver's license, and you want a car."
Linlin was used to Shen Lang's teasing, and she clung to him, pouting: "Ah~ I don't care, I want it, Lao Deng, buy it for me!"
"Bro, I don't need a car. Just clear out my shopping cart for me. Please, my dear brother~"
The sisters clung to Shen Lang, sweet-talking and praying that their wealthy brother would generously shell out more cash.
Making a million a month—most of their classmates' parents don't even earn that much.
"Alright, alright, you've made my ears sore."
Cheng Lijuan, looking at her children, teased and then said.
"Shen Lang, I won't handle your money anymore. Just save it well. If we need any, we'll come to you. Also, you'll cover your sisters' living expenses from now on."
"What the heck, why should I?"
Shen Lang pushed his annoying sisters away: "I just earned this money, and now you two want to be free of responsibility?"
"Hehe, that's what happens when you're their brother."
Cheng Lijuan proudly said, "Alright, go wash up, and don't bother your brother. You two go help with serving the dishes."
"Actually, your dad and I don't need you to earn a lot. We just hope you'll find a girlfriend soon. It's almost the New Year. Are you planning to come home alone again?"
After shooing the sisters away, as Shen Lang sat on the couch, Cheng Lijuan sat next to him, nagging.
"How's that girl from last time? I thought she was nice. Why did you two stop seeing each other? Should I talk to her mom so you can chat again?"
Just as Shen Lang was about to say something, his phone's WeChat buzzed.
Su Lexuan: "Shen Pig, I don't need to go back to my parents' place today. I'm coming over to hang out with you!"