Half a month flew by.
Since the release of his two new books, Ren had been traveling with his family, and online comments gradually increased.
"I can't believe that the Porter is actually drawing a proper magical girl manga this time!"
"Don't get your hopes up. Remember the 'third episode rule.' It might start off normal, but suddenly someone's head could get chopped off."
"But the setting of 'Bleach' is pretty cool. It changes my perception of death gods. If death gods were cute girls, I'd be okay with one taking my soul."
"I'm more interested in the Porter's 'Seven Heroes.' Since he's drawing this one himself, he must really believe in it."
"Agreed. But the guy's traveling with his wife right now and constantly posting lovey-dovey photos!"
"Ah, that's what I admire most. The Porter managed to date his own company's boss!"
"I wish the Porter would start a love class to teach me how to woo a rich woman."
"…"
Soon, online comments veered off-topic.
In the internet age, Ren and Jada's relationship was no longer a secret. Especially after the book signing event for 'Madoka Magica,' Ren's appearance was revealed. Additionally, he and Jada were often seen together without trying to hide it. People soon learned about Ren's background and that he had won over his boss.
Ren didn't care much about these off-topic comments.
He was currently lying in bed, enjoying a good sleep.
Just as he dreamt about being close with Jada, he was abruptly awakened by a sudden attack.
Feeling something heavy repeatedly pounding on his stomach, Ren quickly opened his eyes and saw Yueyue bouncing on top of him.
"Wake up, wake up! We're going to see the flag-raising ceremony today!" Yueyue shouted excitedly, seeing Ren's eyes open. She then started jumping again.
This reminded Ren that today they were going to see the flag-raising ceremony at Tiananmen Square.
After all, it would be a shame to visit the capital without seeing the flag-raising ceremony.
"Stop, stop, I'm going to die!" Yueyue had put on some weight recently from all the good food, and Ren couldn't take the pressure anymore. He quickly lifted her by the armpits and held her up high. "What are you doing? Trying to kill your dad? You're going to squeeze the life out of me."
"Hmph! Gross daddy~" Yueyue wrinkled her nose in disgust, as if she could smell something bad. When Ren reached out to rub her face, she quickly waved her hands to fend him off.
After a bit of playful wrestling.
Ren handed Yueyue a toothbrush with toothpaste and set her on a chair. They stood side by side in front of the bathroom mirror, brushing their teeth.
"Glug glug…" Ren gargled with water.
"Glug glug…" Yueyue imitated him.
Their movements were surprisingly synchronized as they brushed up and down, left and right.
And then…
"Rua." Ren spat out the water.
"Glug…" Yueyue swallowed the water.
"…Why do you keep swallowing the water? Didn't I tell you not to drink it? How many times have I told you?" Ren hurriedly wiped her face with a towel.
"Ugh…" Yueyue resisted the hot towel on her face. Finally, she managed to speak, "I forgot!"
Coming out with Yueyue, Ren saw Jada returning with breakfast and setting it on the table.
Ren immediately started to complain.
"Dear, can you not have Yueyue wake me up next time? She always takes the chance to get back at me. She nearly squeezed the life out of me this morning." Ren grumbled, "And she swallowed the mouthwash again. Is it really that tasty?"
"You deserve it," Jada shot Ren a look. "You're always teasing her."
"Exactly, exactly!"
Yueyue, hearing her mom support her, waved her fists and taunted Ren. Seeing Ren reach out to pinch her cheeks, she quickly hid behind Jada, sticking her tongue out at him.
(><）
After breakfast, the family of three set out.
They had arrived in Beijing.
This wasn't a location related to 'Seven Heroes' for research; they were purely here for a vacation.
Since they had come all this way, they had to enjoy themselves, not just focus on research.
Besides, Ren had never seen the flag-raising ceremony in person in either his past or current life. He had longed to see it, so he couldn't miss it.
Even though it was early, and his body struggled a bit, constantly yawning, Yueyue was full of energy, laughing and playing.
Although Ren had seen countless flag-raising ceremonies throughout his life, seeing it live at Tiananmen Square was an entirely different experience.
A group of soldiers from the national flag guard marched out in formation.
With the rhythmic rise of the national anthem, the bright red flag slowly ascended along with the rising sun until it reached the top.
Apart from the flag-raising ceremony, there was the Summer Palace, the Great Wall, and other must-visit spots in Beijing. Even though it wasn't peak tourist season, there were still many tourists, as expected in the capital.
Ren's family followed the crowd up the Great Wall. Even though they were on a personal trip, they were surrounded by various tour groups. The guides enthusiastically explained the scenery and history around them.
Even without paying for a tour, they got to enjoy some free tour guide services.
After climbing the Great Wall, Ren found that apart from having more photos on his phone, his legs felt much slimmer.
"Wow, Dad, you're already tired?" Yueyue said, looking at her father. She shook her head, imitating an old man, "You need to exercise more."
"Can you walk on your own before you lecture me?" Ren said through gritted teeth, looking at Yueyue who was sitting on his shoulders.
This girl had stopped walking halfway, and now she was giving him a hard time!
"Let's rest over there." Jada shook her head, watching the bickering pair. She led them to a pavilion to sit and rest.
Jada knelt and started massaging Ren's legs, sighing. "Yueyue is right. You need more exercise. My legs are fine, but you're already like this."
-----
While Ren and his family were happily playing, Ren suddenly received some news.
His work had been nominated for the Golden Mouse Award.
This award was initiated and hosted by relevant national departments. Though its history isn't long, it's relatively fair and has growing influence. It's second only to the long-standing Jade Dragon Award in terms of manga honors.
The Golden Mouse Award includes categories like Best Work, Best Storyline, Best Creativity, and so on.
Eligible works must have published at least five chapters in the year, and the winners are determined by a combination of online votes and a comprehensive calculation method. Reader votes have a significant impact, making it difficult to rig the results.
Ren's nominated works included "Your Name," "Cooking Master Boy," and "Madoka Magica." Works like "Cardcaptor Sakura" and "Bleach" had not yet met the criteria, having not reached five chapters.
However, Ren was realistic about his chances. Despite his confidence in his work, he knew there was strong competition in this world.
"That might not be the case. 'Madoka Magica' has a good chance for Best Storyline, and 'Your Name' is highly praised for Best Art. 'Madoka Magica' even sparked a wave of magical girl popularity. You have a shot," Jada reassured him, leaning on his shoulder.
"Let's hope so," Ren said, laughing. "And even if I don't win, I've already won the biggest prize in my life—having you."
...
While Ren and Jada were happy about his nominations, in a well-decorated apartment in Poetry City, Warren was looking at the Golden Mouse Award nomination list with a sour expression.
"Damn it!"
After a moment of silence, Warren cursed and threw his phone onto the bed.
How could Ren's work become so popular? How did he get nominated?
When "Madoka Magica" first came out, Warren was pleased to see it seemed to be flopping. But after the third episode, its reputation skyrocketed and now it was nominated for an award.
Not only that, but Warren's attempts to sabotage Picca Comics had failed. Ren had not only saved Jada's company but also married her.
The thought of them possibly vacationing somewhere together made him grind his teeth in frustration.
But that wasn't even the worst part. The real issue was that the company had flourished after his departure. They had expanded, acquired new assets, and developed games. His departure hadn't hurt Picca Comics; it had even helped them progress, making him look incompetent.
Lying on the bed, Warren stared at the ceiling for a long time before sighing deeply.
He hadn't lost much, financially speaking. His new job at Honor Realty paid more. It showed he had made the right choice.
Besides, it's just a nomination. He had been nominated before too, and it hadn't led to anything. Many famous manga artists were in the running, so Ren's celebration might be premature.
...
Since the Golden Mouse Award nomination list was released, many media outlets increased their coverage of the nominated works.
Additionally, Jada worked on publicizing Ren's works to help them win the award.
This boosted the popularity of Ren's works, increasing sales of merchandise and single volumes.
In this atmosphere, Ren also posted some illustrations from "Seven Heroes" on his Weibo to create more buzz.
"Rainbow Sword!"
A young hero in white, riding a qilin, holding a long sword with white edges and a red streak in the middle. Flames soared around, and a towering sword aura enveloped the blade.
"Ice Soul Sword!"
A woman in blue, with a light blue veil, holding a slender blue sword. She lightly touched the snow-covered ground, leaving behind icicles.
"Purple Cloud Sword!"
Atop a mountain at sunrise, a young woman in purple, with a mischievous look, sat cross-legged with a purple sword on her lap, surrounded by a purple glow.
"Rain Flower Sword!"
A Taoist priest stood in the rain, spinning a light green sword above his head, creating a rain-free zone.
"Thunderclap Sword!"
In an ancient tomb, a robust man stood beside a large sword, gripping the hilt, his body covered in lightning.
"Whirlwind Sword!"
In a bamboo forest, a villager-like man sat playing a zither. A dark blue sword surrounded by swirling air caused bamboo leaves to dance around them.
"Green Light Sword!"
This illustration was different, showing only a three-foot-three-inch sword glowing faintly green, without a character.
These illustrations caught the attention of many of Ren's fans and wuxia manga enthusiasts, increasing their anticipation for the work.
Three days later.
Returning home from work, Daniel picked up the new manga he had bought.
Opening the cover, he saw the main character riding a qilin, tears streaming down his face, reaching out as if trying to grasp something.
In the direction he was reaching, an elderly man with white hair, who vaguely resembled the protagonist, was creating a flame whirlwind against an evil-looking foe.
"The first chapter seems intense," Daniel muttered, rubbing his hands eagerly. He couldn't wait to read the first chapter of "Seven Heroes" – The Rise of Evil!
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For 10 advance chapters: patreon.com/angelictranslating