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.