The red double-decker bus passed in front of Kelly, and she looked across the street through the glass.
A long queue has already gathered in front of Waterstones Bookstore with a white letter W sign on the black facade.
"There are so many people. Can this book signing gather so many readers?"
Even the blonde girl, who had been looking forward to "The Little Prince" for a long time, was startled by the bustling scene in front of her.
There is a British proverb that says.
The life of a traditional upper-class gentleman can never avoid the three Oxfords - Oxford University, Oxford leather shoes, and Oxford Street.
They study at Oxford University, the oldest university in the world. They wear the most respectable Oxford shoes with delicate carved wing pattern on the toe to attend formal banquets. They spend weekends shopping with their wives on Oxford Street, the busiest business street.
The commercial street in front of Kelly is a representative shopping street in the UK.
The empire on which the sun never sets has long since disintegrated.
But pedestrians standing on this commercial street can still feel the afterimage of the old empire described by George Eliot and Conan Doyle.
The statues of the gods on the facade of the building are lifelike, the high roof is decorated with exquisite patterns, the huge columns are surrounded by various beautiful reliefs, and outside the large lattice window booth, tourists from different countries and colors are visiting Talk to each other in various languages.
The architectural artistic styles of neoclassicism and romanticism complement each other.
Twenty meters across from the main store of the luxury brand Burberry is the branch of Waterstone's, the largest bookstore chain in the UK.
Oxford Street is a top shopping street as famous as Fifth Avenue in Paris and Wangfujing in Beijing. For a store of this size to be rented out, the annual rent is conservatively estimated to be more than 8 million pounds.
Used to open a bookstore.
Rather than saying it is to make money, it is better to say that Waterstones Bookstore wants to show its strength and create a physical sign for tourists to see.
The media even photographed celebrities such as King Charles III, David Beckham, and David Bowie before he ascended the throne, walking into this bookstore under the black signboard as ordinary readers.
In tradition,
Historically, only the most important and anticipated books in the UK and even the English-speaking world can have their book signings held in this Waterstones bookstore.
On the rank.
The last fairy tale writer to hold a book signing here was Alan Garner, the author of the 2022 Booker Prize-nominated work "Syrup Walker". He is one of the most important fairy tale writers in British history and has just passed away as 87 The age of 20 broke the world record for the age of nomination for the highest award in English literature.
After all, the reprinted "The Little Prince" is not a new book in the true sense, and it is still a bit unqualified.
Fortunately, Osborne is really awesome.
He managed to rely on many connections and relied on the group's connections to arrange the "Little Prince" project team's first important and commemorative book signing on Oxford Street.
Regardless of sales success or failure, the results of this autograph session will be magnified exponentially.
It was within his authority to give Anna, who was under pressure at this time, a small gift.
Inside the closed dark glass store door.
Staff in bookstore uniforms hung ribbons and prepared small souvenirs and promotional posters for readers attending the book signing.
In order to hold a reader meeting and book signing ceremony for Dean Hawke, a famous British scholar and translator, in the afternoon.
As early as noon,
Waterstones Bookstore on Oxford Street briefly closed its doors and began to decorate its venue.
Readers from outside will not be re-arranged until 5 minutes before the autograph session starts.
When Kelly and her best friends arrived, the queue in front of the store was conservatively estimated to be hundreds of people.
The queue stretched from under the black signboard of Waterstones Bookstore to in front of the Hermès store next door.
Everyone was talking like a party.
"What am I talking about! It's not even ten past one, and so many people have already gathered. If you arrive late, you might not be able to attend Detective Cat's new book launch."
Kelly breathed out a sigh of relief and hurriedly pulled her best friend to line up at the end of the crowd.
"It's a book by Saint-Exupéry, and the person signing it is the translator Charlie Hawke. In terms of the importance of this book, illustrators like Detective Cat can only be ranked third. She alone can Not qualified to hold a reading club in Oxford Street.”
My best friend corrected me on the side.
"It's different, just like other books. "The Little Prince" is a fairy tale full of pictures and texts from the moment it was born. Even Saint-Exupéry himself expressed his opinion to the outside world that the illustrations and text have no role in the content of this book. are equally important.”
My best friend pouted, but this time she didn't find anything to say to refute.
She looked at the crowd around her in confusion.
Even for a top shopping street, there were more than twice as many people here as she expected.
It’s not uncommon for people to queue up to buy in Oxford Street shops, it happens every day.
When Takashi Murakami and LV's co-branded bag was released, the queue was 200 meters long due to various scalpers staying up all night.
The strange thing is that this is a bookstore!
It is not a place to sell bags, shoes, cosmetics, and perfume.
When did people become so passionate about knowledge?
My best friend saw that there were not only professional reporters taking photos of the people queuing up.
There were even two female police officers at the front, often seen in British dramas, wearing green reflective backgrounds and high-top helmets with silver police badges on their heads. They got out of patrolling special vehicles and stood next to Waterstones Bookstore.
After the rise of the Black Live Matters demonstration movement, the London Police Department introduced new regulations in 2021 in order to prevent zero-yuan purchases or robbery riots from affecting the normal operations of Oxford Street.
Once traffic cameras detect a crowd gathering on a commercial street that exceeds a certain limit, street patrols will come to help maintain order.
The police force is limited, but this is a treatment only available in the most popular stores!
"The police officers in these police stations are all very stupid in executing orders. Is there really someone who comes here to do zero-dollar shopping, leaving the Hermès and Burberry next door to snatch the fairy tale books from the bookstore? Why take them back? See for yourself to cultivate literature training?"
My best friend imagined a group of thieves ransacking the bookstore and going back to read the books one by one. She couldn't help but make herself laugh.
She muttered something: "Let me tell you, even if there are so many people here, maybe they are all hired by the publishing house to support the scene. It would be too embarrassing if no one attends the book signing on Oxford Street. Those publishing houses The group will do anything for marketing!"
Maybe because she was angry, Kelly ruined her chance to drink beer and watch handsome guys.
Or maybe it's the unspeakable complex jealousy deep down in my heart that arises from my roommate's inexplicable appearance in a big advertisement.
My round-faced bestie is somewhat unhappy and prejudiced against the detective cat.
Kelly smiled.
"Hey, sister, are you here to buy "The Little Prince" too?" She patted the girl in front of her who was wearing a plaid petticoat and pink earrings and looked very young and artistic.
The girl nodded.
"I am a loyal reader of Mr. Charlie Hawke. He is a very great translator. The two previous French books "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" and "The Three Musketeers" were translated by Hawke, both of which are classics. This time he translated There was a book signing, so I came over.”
"So this is a book signing for "The Little Prince"?"
Another black guy next to him, holding a Starbucks and carrying a schoolbag, dressed as a programmer, raised his eyebrows in surprise when he heard Kelly's question.
"You don't know? Why don't you buy a book?" my best friend asked suspiciously.
"I am an international student at Royal Holloway University who came to London's Oxford Street for the first time with my friends today. The train back to the suburban campus only leaves in the evening. I can't afford luxury goods. I saw everyone queuing up in front of a bookstore. Anyway, I have nothing to do. So I just wait in line here."
The young man, who was very familiar with it, smiled and said, "I think I've seen news about the new version of "The Little Prince" on the Internet in the past two days."
"But forget about buying books. I probably won't pay for them just for reading. I'm not a lover of literature and art. Your British books are so expensive. The cost of textbooks alone is almost going to make it hard for me to make a living."
Kelly spread her hands towards her best friend and showed a bright smile that said, "You see."
The number of tourists on Oxford Street is close to half a billion a year, so you can meet anyone.
However, this kind of real answer definitely doesn't sound like a hired shill.
"One doesn't know how to buy books, and the other is a reader here for Dean Hawke. Neither of them has anything to do with the detective cat you miss so much."
My best friend said "cut".
She couldn't stand Kelly's idiotic expression of "My detective cat is so awesome."
What are you proud of?
You little girl can't get a penny.
"I participated in the market research meeting for the new version of "The Little Prince", and I can only say that the illustrations this time are great. The detective cat drew one of the best illustrations I have ever seen. You must Will like it.”
Detective Cat seems to be turning into a new idol in the heart of illustration lover Kelly.
"The paperback version is only the price of a serving of fish and chips, and the hardcover version is only the price of a 12-inch pizza. Believe me, buying it will definitely make you feel it's worth it." She took the trouble to help the African big sister. Advertise to other readers waiting in line.
"I actually hope to buy the version with the illustrations written by Dean Hawke and Saint-Exupéry. Those are the most original pictures that fit the feel of the story. No matter how good the later paintings are, they are still missing. Artistic conception. Not to mention, Detective Cat is just a criticized internet celebrity illustrator."
The literary young woman shook her head decisively: "Unfortunately, the copyright of the original illustrations is with the Scholastic Group's main competitor, Townsend Mann Publishing House, and they can't get it."
The black guy just grinned his shiny white teeth: "I don't know much about illustration, but I once snapped up a creative painting T-shirt from the trendy brand Amida. It seems that the painter is also a very famous artist. But wearing It tastes no different from AJ or Coconut. If I really had a choice, I would definitely choose the 12-inch pizza. Fairy tale books are what children read, but pizza can make me happy all day long."
"That's because you haven't seen Detective Cat's work with your own eyes. Detective Cat and Van Dorn's works have completely different styles."
Kelly shook her head stubbornly: "Anyone who is not too slow will be infected by that beautiful feeling."
The blonde girl looked at her best friend who was hesitant to speak and seemed to want to complain about something.
"The same goes for you. Maka, when you walk into the bookstore and see the Little Prince written by Detective Cat on the shelf, you will definitely not be able to help but own it."
Kelly sounded like a prophet delivering a prophecy.
"That's true. It's not a marijuana leaf. How can it be something you won't forget after seeing it?"
My best friend Maka doesn’t believe it!
She sniffed: "If I hadn't had the urge to buy the book. In our group assignments this semester, Kelly, would you have done all the manual work of pattern making and cutting of clothing?"
The Department of Fashion Design is also an art student.
However, coursework requires not only art design and painting skills, but also often requires you to thread in front of a sewing machine.
This backbreaking work was also nicknamed "tinker's" work by those at the Royal College of Art.
"What if you want to buy it? It's up to you."
Maka was half annoyed, half amused.
"Want to buy it? If that detective cat is really so tempting, sister, not only will I do it, but um——"
She casually whispered next to Kelly: "Humph, and I won't go to bed with my boyfriend until the end of next month."
When girls’ girlfriends are together, boys can’t stand it when they are dirty.
Making dirty jokes and dirty jokes is also something that happens casually.
The fact that Maka can say this kind of assurance shows that she is also serious about it.
"You said that yourself."
Kelly pinched Maka's round face and showed a narrow and sympathetic mysterious smile.
Maka puffed up her cheeks and was about to retort.
At this time, she suddenly realized something was wrong.
Huh?
She turned her head sideways, stood on tiptoes and looked forward.
Maka vaguely felt that the atmosphere in front of the crowd suddenly became strange, as if... it suddenly became quiet.
Within seconds, she realized it wasn't her imagination.
The queue in front of the bookstore was formed spontaneously by people, and it was already quite noisy and chaotic.
Everyone was chatting boringly while waiting, eating hot dogs sold by street stalls, and making a lot of noise.
Suddenly, it was like the mute button had been pressed.
The noisy voices just disappeared.
Maka could listen to DJ music in front of a department store in the distance, and could see people in other areas of Oxford Street not far away still bustling, chatting and laughing.
There were couples quarreling, children holding hydrogen balloons running and laughing, and in the farthest square, there was a young man named Asan who was shouting and performing Indian flying pancakes to the onlookers.
Everything is normal in Oxford Street.
Only the area around Waterstones Bookstore was suddenly cut off from the entire bustling commercial street by an inexplicable force.
Starting from the front of the team, the feeling of silence spreads to the back.
"It's amazing..."
Maka paused mid-sentence.
The round-faced girl saw a staff member from Waterstones Bookstore walking out of the bookstore's door holding a stand-style promotional poster.
It was a piece of work that she couldn't describe at the moment.
I know it's out of context for everyone, so I'm sorry.
But today is really about the speed of life and death.
After simply correcting the typo, there are now more than 100 seconds left before 12 o'clock.
(End of chapter)
