Chapter 3: Time

“Kitty cat? Wow, it’s so cute!” Lin Xian’s colleague exclaimed as she admired the simple sketch he had drawn. Her excitement was palpable.

“Lin Xian, why haven’t you shown this fantastic design to Sister Juan?”

“What???” Lin Xian was taken aback.

The room’s focus instantly shifted to them, especially the design department colleagues, whose eyes widened with anticipation.

“What? Let me see!” Quick footsteps approached as Li Juan hurried over, her usual calm demeanor replaced by thinly veiled anxiety.

Though Director Zhao remained silent, her stern expression conveyed her displeasure.

Snap!

Li Juan snatched the draft from Lin Xian’s hands. Her expression softened as she examined the sketch, her breath steadying, and the initial fury in her eyes dying down.

“You... this is...” Li Juan struggled to find the right words. “This... I think it’s quite good!”

The room fell silent, shocked by Li Juan’s sudden praise, given her reputation for being notoriously critical.

She walked over and placed the draft in front of Director Zhao. “Director Zhao, take a look. This is Lin Xian’s design for our new brand.”

As she laid the draft down, everyone craned their necks to get a better look. The sketch depicted a cartoon cat’s head, simple yet expressive. Despite being just a drawing in black pen, the cat’s personality seemed to leap off the page.

“Wow, Lin Xian’s design has a unique charm and delicacy.”ALL new chapters on nov(e)lbin(.)com

“I think it’s even cuter than Hello Kitty. Kitty is too prim and doesn’t have a mouth, but Lin Xian’s cat has a youthful, vibrant vibe.”

“Young, girlish, ageless, energetic... it perfectly matches our new brand’s essence! Lin Xian, why didn’t you show us this sooner?”

“A good brand image must be simple but recognizable, and easy to spread. Lin Xian’s cat rivals icons like Kitty, Mickey Mouse, and Doraemon.”

“So tonight, if I wear the Ultraman mask again, Big Cat Face will surely appear.”

He closed the windows to keep out the cold and added an extra blanket. Setting his alarm, he placed his phone on the bedside table and turned off the light.

“Time to sleep.”

A hot summer breeze stirred as he woke, carrying the fresh scent of green leaves. Lin Xian opened his eyes to find himself in a brightly lit square filled with playing children.

“Hehe, catch me! Catch me!”

“Take this! Ultraman slide tackle!”

“I want candied hawthorn! Waaaah!”

“I don’t want to go home! I want to play more!”

“Mommy, I want to ride a bike!”

Lin Xian glanced up at the electronic billboard displaying the time:

[August 28, 2624]

[21:37:17]

[21:37:18]

[21:37:19]

[21:37:20]

This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation