Rights Sold: complex Chinese, Vietnamese   What we wish for may be small and life may not grant it. However, there is still hope.   This is the first collected volume by rising comic artist, Nini, whose tender and emotionally resonant stories have touched millions across social media platforms, garnering over 5 million reads. In the current difficult publishing market, this title has been able to sell over 1 million copies in China alone, proving it a rare gem and a viral sensation across China.   Spanning 312 pages, this beautifully illustrated book brings together her celebrated works – including Heart of a Grown-up Is Like an Oyster in Its Shells, the popular serialized Sunflower Garden (featuring a special ending) and 17 short pieces, 4 of which are brand-new and exclusive to this collection. Her works capture the frustration of young people chasing small dreams that remain out of reach with many memorable lines.   Although the illustrations may seem lovely and cute at first glance, the messages underneath are actually quite bittersweet—tinged with sadness and feelings of powerlessness. Set in a whimsical world of animalistic characters, the protagonists are forced to grow up and face a reality not dissimilar to our own, one where daily life is tough and the future is ambiguous with no prospects. Nini captures the inner worlds of those who were just children not so long ago and those who find that our efforts are nothing to misfortunes and the set rules of society.    However, not all hope is lost in these stories. In the end of each story, they always find a change of heart for a positive outlook on life. Even though life can be painful, we carry on—and there is beauty in that endurance. Despite the challenges posed by our surroundings and society, the stories ultimately offer comfort and resonance, allowing us to feel warmth—and the strength to keep moving forward. For those worn out by reality, Nini offers a safe place—a chance to pry open the tough outer shell and dream like a child again. Although exploring the difficulties we face in life, we should be reminded that there is still a quiet softness that resides in our hearts. Her comics are like a bandage on the invisible wounds of adulthood.  

Rights Sold: complex Chinese   Growing up isn't finding a way to escape the rain. Growing up is no longer being afraid when it rains but returning to that rainy world without tears or complaints.   When Little Dog returns to her hometown while her mother undergoes medical treatment, she finds herself navigating a world that feels both familiar and strange. The seaside amusement park she once dreamed of visiting, the palmier cookies that once filled her with anticipation, the shopping mall that excited her but embarrassed her mother—everything looks different through adult eyes. As the story unfolds, Little Dog realizes hers and her mother’s role switching as she shoulders the responsibilities of being the “adult” and caregiver in their relationship. All the while contemplating her mother’s own journey of growing up.   From the million-copy bestselling author Nini, this candy-colored comic is a longer story following the style and topic of her very successful healing comic Heart of a Grown-up Is Like an Oyster in Its Shells. In addition to exploring the changes and issues of growing up, On a Fine Day, I Want to Go to the Beach brings in the shifting dynamics of a mother-daughter relationship. With gentle honesty, this title is a poignant reminder that sometimes the most precious wish is simply to visit the beach on a sunny day.   "People grow up in that instant when they face vulnerability head-on. But waiting for that moment feels impossibly long. I wanted to record this endless wait—to capture both the storm and the sunshine." - Nini   This title also includes “Papaya Summer”, a quiet meditation on finding peace in life's small moments.