Chapter 429 - 418: Old Wang Becomes Famous (Part 2)

Chapter 429: Chapter 418: Old Wang Becomes Famous (Part 2)

This was the first time she had ever seen such a solemn and dignified scene.

"At school, the older kids in the upper grades are the ones who raise the flag. It doesn’t have any of this grandeur."

"Of course. This is the national honor guard," Lin Yanwan said with a smile, patting her sister’s head. "Only the very best are chosen by the country."

Her sister nodded thoughtfully, then declared, "When I’m in the upper grades, I want to be a flag-raiser too!"

Hearing this, Jiang Xia and Lin Yanwan exchanged a smile. It seemed this lesson in patriotism was a great success.

A seed planted in the heart at a young age would one day help her grow into a person who could be of use to her country, to society, and to the people.

When they returned home, it was already past 6:00 AM. The adults were all awake. Ji Wanqiu asked where the group had gone so early, and Jiang Xia explained that he had taken Xiao Man to Tiananmen Square to watch the flag-raising ceremony. At this, his mother-in-law couldn’t help but smile, pleased.

’This is a good thing.’

After breakfast, Jiang Xia stuck to the plan and took the family to the Great Wall. Considering how hot it had been recently, he had already stocked the trunk with plenty of sunscreen. The idea was to visit the Great Wall in the morning and the Forbidden City in the afternoon.

The family set out from the Badaling Great Wall, all in high spirits as they took in the magnificent scenery on both sides of the wall.

Jiang Xia and Lin Yanwan had been here once before and had taken many photos, so now they were simply accompanying their family. They mostly played the role of photographers, preserving the blissful memories of the moment.

After climbing to the viewing platform at the highest point, they looked down at the majestic, precipitous landscape below—a vista of stunning, lush greenery. They imagined the ancients using this natural stronghold to repel their enemies beyond the pass, and their hearts swelled with emotion.

As the sun climbed higher, its rays grew scorching. The family had seen about enough, so they took the cable car back down.

For lunch, they ate at the commercial walking street in the Badaling Great Wall scenic area. Afterward, they went back for a two-hour nap before heading out again in the afternoon to tour the Forbidden City with their family.

The next day, they visited the Temple of Heaven and Yihe Garden. As the premier classical royal garden in China, its natural scenery of lakes and mountains was as picturesque as a painting. Its pavilions, terraces, corridors, and bridges all showcased the elegance and beauty of classical garden design.

The two-day tour was a real eye-opener for Xiao Man.

Xia Shanshan was no exception. As a Chinese language teacher, she had long yearned to visit these famous historical sites. At every location, she effortlessly recited poems relevant to the scenery. No doubt, when she returned to her classroom after the summer break, she would be able to recount these experiences to her students with even greater fluency and passion.

After two days, much to his chagrin, Jiang Xia was forced back to the office by Jiang Wende. Lin Yanwan, however, had a more relaxed schedule. Her current tasks were to do the voice-overs for *Pokemon* and *Slam Dunk*, as well as prepare some insert songs for the big *Cat and Mouse* Dragon Year movie.

In her free time, she could focus on spending time with her parents at home, letting Jiang Xia devote his energy to the company.

"I thought you were going to spend more time with them at home? What are you doing back at the office?" Li Weiya asked, unable to suppress a laugh as she walked into Jiang Xia’s office.

"My dad said he didn’t need me around and shooed me back here," Jiang Xia said with a helpless sigh, putting down the report in his hands.

Li Weiya smiled. "Hahaha, I figured. Your dad is pretty straightforward; he always says what’s on his mind. He was probably worried about distracting you from your work."

"I know," Jiang Xia chuckled. "Anyway, never mind that. Godmother, did you need something?"

"This year’s Golden Dragon Awards for animation are coming up. The ceremony is in Shanghai this time. Last year’s *Cat and Mouse: Lucky Rabbit Year*, as well as *Slam Dunk* and the *Cat and Mouse* animated series, have all received nominations. If things go as expected, we’re looking at another huge haul of Golden Dragon Awards."

She smiled. "Are you going to be the one to attend?"

Jiang Xia shook his head. "Nah, I’ll skip it. Let Ah Ming go. He’s the director for the *Cat and Mouse* series now. It’ll be a good opportunity for him to get some time in the spotlight. He can collect all the awards for us."

Li Weiya was taken aback, not expecting Jiang Xia to say that.

After all, it was a great opportunity to boost one’s personal reputation. The Golden Dragon Award was, without a doubt, the highest honor in the animation industry.

"You’re not going?"

"I can’t be the one hogging the spotlight all the time. It’s a good thing for Ah Ming to go. He’ll probably have to attend all sorts of events in the future, so the more experience he gets, the less likely he’ll be to have stage fright at major functions."

"Ah Xia, on behalf of Ah Ming, thank you. I’ll tell him about this in a little while so he can get ready." Li Weiya’s eyes were filled with gratitude.

"Godmother, we’re family. Ah Ming is like a brother to me, so you don’t need to be so formal. I’m happy to see him doing so well. And let’s be clear, if he weren’t capable of leading *Cat and Mouse* forward, I wouldn’t be sending him to the Golden Dragon Awards. He’s earned this."

"I understand."

Li Weiya nodded slightly. She knew that, despite what he said, her son Wang Ming’s success in the animation industry was purely because Jiang Xia had pulled him along.

From forcibly bringing him onto the *Cat and Mouse* project at the very beginning to personally teaching him how to draw storyboards for the better part of a year, Jiang Xia was the one who had made Wang Ming who he was today.

It was the same for her. Her life had undergone a massive transformation the moment she decided to come to the Imperial Capital to help him. It was no exaggeration to say that everything she and her son had now was thanks to Jiang Xia.

As Li Weiya left, a calm smile graced Jiang Xia’s face. With his current level of fame, he had no need for such accolades to elevate himself. Qitian Animation was currently sweeping the domestic market, completely unrivaled, and it could be said that every one of their hit works came from his hand.

A rookie director who churned out one blockbuster hit after another, he had already become the brightest star in the animation industry.

Moreover, with the sheer volume of ideas in his head, he had enough material to ensure Qitian Animation’s continuous and stable growth for the next thirty years.

Just imagine—once he released epic, long-running series like *Seven Dragon Balls*, *Naruto*, and *One Piece*, which would continue for ten or twenty years, what animation company in this world could possibly compete with their popularity?

Even now, the currently airing *Pokemon* series had already created a frenzy across the country. Once the first season—the Indigo League arc—concluded, this IP, the greatest from his past life, would truly begin to show its fangs.

Sooner or later, his Qitian Animation would surpass Disney to become the world’s largest animation company, creating an animation empire unlike any other.

Therefore, Jiang Xia wasn’t in a hurry. He was fine with developing slowly. After all, he was holding a royal flush. Even when he occasionally played a low pair, the rest of the industry could only fold.

In contrast to Qitian Animation’s slow-and-steady approach, Dili Dili was expanding at a much faster rate.

After all, the era of the mobile internet was rapidly approaching. As D Station’s user base grew daily, its business model had to evolve. It could no longer be just a video-sharing site; it needed to produce quality content beyond the original videos made by its creators.

For example, why not invest in game companies? Dili Dili controlled major IPs like *Cat and Mouse*, *Slam Dunk*, *Pokemon*, and *Four-wheel Brothers*. Why sell the rights and let others profit when they could make far more by developing the games themselves?

Furthermore, to better retain D Station’s users, they also needed to produce their own high-quality, official content, such as documentaries showcasing various industries to the world.

「In the blink of an eye, it was the end of July.」

The Golden Dragon Awards ceremony kicked off in Shanghai, with Wang Ming attending on behalf of Qitian Animation.

In one fell swoop, he took home 12 Golden Dragon Awards, including Best Director of the Year.

He became an overnight sensation.

...

*(Author’s Note: I’ve spent the last two days with my wife at the labor arbitration bureau, and tomorrow I’m going to sign the settlement agreement with the company. So, to all my readers out there in the workforce, if you ever face unfair treatment from your employer—like no labor contract, no social insurance, or wrongful termination—don’t be afraid to use the law to protect your rights. You can sue for all of it, and you’re almost guaranteed to win!)*