In Shanghai, the annual Golden Mouse Awards, a grand event in the comic industry, drew significant media attention.
Ever since the nomination list was announced, the media had been closely covering all the nominated comic artists and their works.
Ren's injury quickly became a hot topic due to this heightened media focus.
Three days before New Year's Eve, the Golden Mouse Awards ceremony began.
Ren and Jada appeared hand in hand, drawing a lot of media attention.
As one of the top events supported by relevant authorities, the Golden Mouse Awards' red carpet was a prime showcase for any comic artist.
For Jada, this event was also a great networking opportunity, bringing together many celebrities, comic artists, and company executives.
Ren initially thought he might find the event boring, but soon enough, his hands were full of business cards.
Various comic editors approached him with collaboration offers, and representatives from game and animation companies also expressed interest in commissioning scripts from him.
Ren was surprised by his popularity. He felt like a hot commodity that everyone wanted a piece of.
He was just a newly promoted third-tier comic artist, and a lower-ranked one at that.
"Are you wondering why so many people want to collaborate with you?" Jada asked with a smile.
She had just secured a deal with a company and was feeling quite satisfied.
"Yeah, I'm just a third-tier comic artist," Ren said, puzzled. "Why is everyone so enthusiastic?"
It wasn't just the number of people approaching him; many of them were from big companies, not small ones.
"Of course. Even though you're just a third-tier comic artist, your stories are excellent. Many of your comics have compelling plots and settings. Plus, you've become a third-tier artist in just a year. That shows how talented you are," Jada said, adjusting Ren's slightly messy collar.
"Oh, I see," Ren nodded, understanding.
The music began, and as the hosts took the stage, the awards ceremony officially started.
The previously noisy hall fell silent, with everyone's attention on the Golden Mouse Awards.
Though many claimed that being nominated was an honor, everyone there secretly hoped to win an award. Being humble was for others; they knew their own ambitions.
Winning a Golden Mouse Award would significantly boost their reputation and income, possibly increasing their annual earnings by a third.
However, the Golden Mouse Awards ceremony was notoriously long and grueling, even more so than a principal's speech at school. Yet, every year, countless viewers and industry professionals were willing to endure the wait.
One of the main challenges wasn't just the long wait but also the personal hygiene issues.
Many women in glamorous gowns found it difficult to handle their outfits alone, making them question their choices.
Fortunately, Ren and Jada dressed simply, avoiding such complications.
Whenever they returned to their seats, they often found someone occupying them. These weren't just random people but seat fillers.
During the awards ceremony, the cameras were always moving. If an empty seat appeared during the broadcast, it could spark misleading headlines like "XXX Questions the Golden Mouse Awards, Storms Out Mid-Ceremony."
Never underestimate the ethics of some media outlets, especially entertainment media.
Even a minor incident could be spun into a dramatic story. In fact, a few years ago, a reporter from a media outlet was poached by a film company because his stories were so compelling.
Leaving aside the media's tendency to fabricate stories, an empty seat just didn't look good on camera.
Although the Golden Mouse Awards were relatively new, they had learned from many other award ceremonies. Copying good practices was easy.
...
The first award announced was the "Best Art Award." Some works were collaborative efforts, with separate authors and artists, like Ren's past favorite "Food Wars!"
The Golden Mouse Awards prioritized entertainment, alternating major and minor awards to keep the ceremony engaging and avoid awkward moments.
If all the major awards were announced first, the audience might leave during the minor awards. Conversely, if the major awards were saved for last, no one would watch the first half.
However, the Best Art Award had nothing to do with Ren or his assistants; it was won by an assistant from Longxiang Comics.
A joyful woman in her thirties stood up, hugged her colleagues, and went on stage to be playfully teased by the hosts before giving her emotional acceptance speech.
Ren and the others smiled and clapped, while the unsuccessful nominees also smiled and clapped, likely grumbling internally but maintaining their composure for the cameras.
Next, awards like Best Work and Most Popular Comic Artist were also announced.
These major awards didn't concern Ren, as they required significant influence, which he lacked as a newcomer, despite his skill.
Soon, it was time for one of Ren's works to be recognized with a minor award, the "Promoting Chinese Culture Award." Ren's "Cooking Master Boy" won this award.
The Promoting Chinese Culture Award recognized works that highlighted Chinese culture, such as kung fu, ink painting, and cuisine.
These topics were challenging to portray, so Ren's "Cooking Master Boy" deservedly won the top prize.
After this minor award, it was time for one of the important awards.
The hosts stood on stage.
"The five nominees for Best Art have a variety of themes," the female host said.
"Their art is beautiful and moving," the male host added.
They both stepped aside, revealing the big screen behind them. "The nominees for Best Art are..."
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The big screen took over the job of the hosts, displaying the names and scenes from the comics nominated for the Best Art Award: Da Xu's "Living Under the Feet of a Beautiful Roommate" from Longxiang Company, Shuilongyin's "Zero Concept of Integrity" from Lanling Company, Taozimao's "Three Kingdoms Unchained" from Tianfeng Company, Shawu's "Rebirth of the Silver Dragon" from Jiarong Company, and the Porter's "Your Name" from Picca Comics!
As Ren watched the screen, he couldn't help but cough lightly, feeling a bit nervous. Even though the story wasn't his original idea, he had drawn it, and the adaptations were his own.
His wife had also invested a lot of money to promote it.
With so much time, energy, and resources invested, they naturally hoped for a good result.
A prestigious Golden Mouse Award would mean a lot for Jada's company in the future.
Sensing Ren's nervousness, Jada grabbed his hand and whispered, "Don't be nervous. I'm here with you, and even if you don't win, it's okay. It's only your first year."
Feeling the warmth of Jada's hand, Ren smiled. Was his nervousness that obvious?
The female host quickly opened the envelope, ignoring the curious glance from her male co-host, and read out the winner's name: "The winner is Tianfeng Company..."
A man at the table behind Ren showed a hint of joy, while those not mentioned looked a bit disappointed.
But before Taozimao from Tianfeng Company could stand up, the female host continued, "The winner is from the front row, the Porter from Picca Comics with 'Your Name'!"
!!!
The others, having experienced the fake-out, clapped without showing any disappointment.
Taozimao, slightly frowning, noticed the camera on him. His years of training kicked in, and he quickly put on a gracious smile and clapped.
He wasn't too upset. Such twists were common at these events. One year, all the nominees were mentioned before the real winner was announced.
As applause filled the room, Jada hugged Ren enthusiastically, and Ren seized the opportunity to kiss her. This scene was captured by the cameraman.
At that moment, it wasn't just the live audience who saw this.
In this world where the anime industry thrived, many people were watching this prestigious event.
Viewers on TV and streaming platforms saw this moment.
"My eyes, my eyes!!"
"Damn, I came to see the awards, not to eat dog food!"
"Wow, is that the Porter? He's so handsome! If he debuted as an idol, I'd become his fangirl~~"
"That woman, draw your sword!"
Chat rooms on various platforms were flooded with comments.
Ren walked onto the stage to the sound of music, accepted the Golden Mouse trophy from the host, and then...
He pulled out a small piece of paper and fumbled several times before unfolding it.
He was probably too excited and nervous.
In his past and present life, Ren had never spoken in front of so many people, except once when he was caught copying homework and had to read a self-reflection letter to the whole class.
"Thank you, Golden Mouse Awards." Ren started with the standard thank-you speech, which he had prepared based on previous winners' speeches. "Thank you to the judges for recognizing this work, and thank you to my readers for supporting it..."
"Of course." Ren looked down at Jada. "I also want to thank my wife, Jada."
The cameraman zoomed in on Jada, who smiled and nodded.
People often become what they once disliked.
Ren used to despise people who spouted clichés on stage, but here he was, giving his own speech.
After five or six minutes of applause, Ren stepped off the stage.
Holding the small golden mouse trophy, which looked particularly enticing in its golden hue, Ren regretted that it wasn't solid gold but gold-plated. Otherwise, he would have bitten it a few times.
The trophy's base was a black ceramic square with a gilded plaque in the center, embossed with a figure bent over a desk, and inscribed with: Seventh Golden Mouse Awards, Best Art, Ren.
Back at the round table, Jada took the small golden mouse and examined it, congratulating Ren.
After all, despite running her company for so long, none of her artists had ever won this award.
More awards were handed out.
Ren didn't win many, but he did receive another small award and a major one—Best Story Award, which went to "Madoka Magica."
This win was well-deserved. Even other comic artists had no complaints, as Ren's work had broken new ground and sparked a trend of dark magical girl stories.
Even if they had won, they wouldn't have dared accept it, fearing accusations of bias.
Ren took the stage again, thanked his peers, and delivered a brief speech thanking the audience, colleagues, judges, and his wife, before stepping down.
Although the later awards had nothing to do with him, Ren was quite pleased.
This year had been a big success. All three of his works had won awards, establishing his reputation in the industry. His wife's company was developing special effects and games.
Their daughter was growing up well.
Past achievements were not the end; it was time to start anew.
What would the future hold?
Would they be suppressed by the Big Five like Jada's parents were?
He didn't understand such matters and figured he would just focus on drawing comics.
However, from what Jada had told him, the situation was better than during her parents' time. Back then, they had only one company against the Big Five.
Now, with Jiarong Real Estate as another ally, their two companies could work together to survive among the Big Five.