Cartoonist's Dream

() "Leniency for confession, strictness for resistance, tell me - what is the relationship between you two?"

The three joint hearings are after the doctor's examination.

Lu Hui sat on the high stool with a tense expression, crossed her arms and questioned the man and woman in front of her.

Limu, who had just woken up from a vegetative state and hadn't put on her underwear, was very embarrassed. She hid in her bed and covered her underwear with a quilt; Lu Wei sat against the wall just like before, angry and funny in her heart, but with a stiff face .

"Brother-in-law."

Lu Wei pointed at Li Mu's head, her fingers were too close, as if she had the urge to crush him to death with one finger.

"Auntie."

Li Mu also pointed to his wife and sister and said frankly that there was nothing particularly weird except for a little bit of embarrassment.

"Then why did you call my sister's nickname as soon as you woke up, and dragged her to elope outside the door? If it wasn't for me, you would have rushed out of the corridor? ——huh?"

Lu Hui raised her chin slightly and asked humbly.

"Elope? It's not elopement, it's...admitting a mistake, admitting the wrong person."

Li Mu shook his head with a fake smile to defend himself (Lu Hui admitted).

"You can admit that you are so old? Next time you will admit to the wrong bed." Facing the two "junior" in front of him, Lu Hui shouted hard like a big sister scolding a small follower: "And you, don't be here While snickering, "

Lu Hui knew that her younger sister had been fond of Li Mu since she was a child, and she knew that she was angry on the surface, but the toe of her shoe kept squirming.She must be jumping for joy in her heart, her toes are circling up and down inside the shoes.

"You!" Lu Hui pointed at the little follower again, but he looked weak even though he sat up.Lu Hui couldn't help but sighed helplessly again, and said with a sharp decrease in momentum: "...you owe me an explanation when you go back."

"Actually, I probably had a dream..."

Li Mu, who had been sleeping for a year, argued in a low voice with some uncertainty.Although the muscles are slack and the body is weak and unable to exert strength, the mind has become extremely clear, and it seems that it has fully awakened from a short period of confusion.

—Is it a dream?

After waking up, Li Mu became more and more sure that he spent those 14 years of strange life in a dream.

In the dream, I realized my wish to transfer from a key school to a prestigious school, and proudly gave up Qingbei to enter Cambridge University, which was a sigh of relief for my mother.

In the dream, when she wanted to have a child, Isabel conceived Xiaosi Xiaofu in a fantastic way, and now thinking about it, it should be the effect of missing Li Xiong Liluo.

In the dream, I became a man who is popular with all kinds of women. In reality, I am afraid that I will never be able to betray Lu Hui, so I became a "man with cheating thoughts" in the dream.

In the dream, my youthful feelings for my childhood sweetheart, my dissatisfaction with the "emotional betrayal of my childhood fiancée", coupled with my strong feelings for my wife, made my wife and sister-in-law perfectly blend together.

At the end of the dream, time flies so fast that its course is almost indistinct.

I have realized the dream that every man would have - to become a hero who saves the world in the eyes of all the people.

Everything that you dare to think or dare to do in reality, and everything you dare to do but can't do, is finally realized in your dreams.

……

wake up.

Life has to go on, and my beloved wife cannot be forced to work, and the two children also need a better environment for growth. Ideals are just a fantasy in reality.

On the third evening of rehabilitation in the hospital.

The person who came to visit the ward was a wrinkled-faced farmer businessman, about five or sixty years old, judging from his glamorous attire, he was indeed a self-made nouveau riche.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Li Mu. I've been busy during the Chinese New Year. I knew you were awake but I couldn't spare time to see you. You won't blame me?"

Facing a capable person who has worked for him for five years and developed high-end customers in Nanhua, the old bee queen who sells bee eggs knows how to be considerate of his subordinates.

During the festival, the boss took time out of his busy schedule to come to the hospital to visit the employees who have left the company for more than a year in person—is there anything more grateful than this?

Sitting up from the bed, Li Mu tried his best to express his emotions, and sincerely looked into the eyes of the old beekeeper, holding his hand with both hands and said with deep feeling:

"Mr. Wang, you are so kind to me. I, Limu, am willing to devote my whole life to serving you like a dog."

"Oh, it's too much to say. You take good care of your illness and take good care of yourself after you get out of the hospital. How can I let you, a hero, come to work? Actually, you have been out of the post for a year, and I have already found someone to replace you work……"

The queen bee also held him with both hands and said apologetically.

The old beekeeper is not a real farmer, he is actually a cunning businessman in his bones, otherwise he would not have achieved what he is today.After his career was successful, he transferred many of the most capable people who had explored the territory from Nanhua, and asked them to continue to explore the market in the "wilderness". The established prosperous stores were handed over to relatives.

Li Mu's original store manager position is now replaced by a nephew of the queen bee, and the relatives of the queen bee can continue to enjoy the success of the nepotism.And the "hero" is just a wage earner after all, a role that can be discarded at any time.

Life is so real, Limu doesn't expect the queen bee to keep his job after one year of resignation, as early as the day he woke up, he inquired about the current situation with his familiar colleagues, and this behavior was just to show his loyalty and find a job... I don't ask for the reinstatement of the official, but I just ask for food for my ability to open up wasteland and do things five years ago.

"Mr. Wang..."

Li Mu stretched out his hand forward, pretending to be pitiful, and sat on the bed blankly.

What the queen bee wants is this surprise effect. He wants the employees to know that it is not easy to work under him. Even if they are capable, they may not be able to find a job. He wants the employees to be grateful to him.

"Ah, don't worry about it." The queen bee accepted it and said, "As long as you are willing to come back, I will give you a regional manager right away, in charge of the area in West China. If you feel tired, I can do it." I will find you a new store to manage, but this location is a bit remote from the center of Nanhua."

Looking at the smiling face of the queen bee Sheng Deruoyu, Li Mu nodded gratefully, and his gratitude was beyond words... until the queen bee left, he was still sobbing - it could also be said that he had nothing to say.

The regional manager of the West China District has a very famous name, but there is not even a chain store there, and the public's demand for honey bees is not very large.Not only does he need to leave his hometown, but the pressure to open up the market cannot be underestimated. There is no doubt that there will be ups and downs. In contrast, Limu would rather go to the highly competitive area in East China.

As for going to the suburbs of Nanhua to manage a small storefront?This is not in Li Mu's consideration at all.The storefront there is no different from ordinary noodle shops, the small one can't sell a few items at all, it is purely using the storefront as an advertisement.How can there be a main store in the center of Nanhua that is as prosperous as a pharmacy, and the main store also has a health care place like an apitherapy room?

So as long as he is a capable man, he will strive for the top, let the queen bee control the source of goods, if the queen bee brand can really enter the Huaxi market—well, Limu is still a wage earner, and he can add a [big] character to the prefix.

What about the bald commander?So what about the pressure?Li Mu is a young man in the prime of his life, if he really can't get a foothold in Huaxi, he can retreat to the small shop in Nanhua, but he would rather find another job than take care of that small shop.

The only thing that worried him was the orphans and widows who stayed in Nanhua.

……

The morning mist and dreams are scattered and suddenly return home, Xiaoxuan window, the death of painting.

It has been a while since Limu returned to the villa after recovering, and the queen bee is not in a hurry to open up the barren market in Huaxi, so he is happy to stay at home for another two or three weeks to recuperate.

Putting aside those daily pressures, Li Mu, who woke up from the dream, still has talent, but feels that the gap between reality and the dream is too great and feels empty.

In the morning, he sat alone in the small studio he opened up at home, drawing manga, while feeling sad:

"—Thinking that I, Li Mu, graduated from King's College, Cambridge University with a master's degree. I am proficient in all aspects of arts and sciences, but I ended up trying to make ends meet."

Li Mu's voice seemed very quiet, if he didn't know his details, he might be mistaken for the truth.

Lu Hui, who did not know when she woke up, suddenly stood at the door, knocked on the door and said to him:

"Didn't wake up from the dream? You're still at Cambridge University. You actually dreamed that I was with Lu Wei. Let me tell you, don't think about my sister...and don't be raped by her."

Although Lu Hui had heard some of the contents of the dream, she felt more and more uneasy. She always felt that there was only a thin layer of paper between her husband and sister-in-law, and that if one of them took the initiative, he could immediately break it.

"Haha, Huihui, what are you talking about? How could Weiwei rape me."

"I don't know why... I'm just worried..."

Lu Hui walked into the studio and gently hugged Limu from behind, just like the feeling of hugging him when she was a child.

At this time, Limu always felt an indescribable peace and peace of mind, while Lu Hui felt that Limu was under the control of her arms, so she also felt very peaceful and at ease.

"I'm always worried for no reason. I feel particularly worried when I can't see you. I always feel that you have changed a lot in the hospital." She lay on Li Mu's back quietly and said, "Your skin has become whiter and thinner. His temperament has improved, and he looks even more handsome...so don't go to Huaxi, okay?"

The pencil rolled slowly along the table to the ground, making a clicking sound, but Li Mu didn't pick it up.

"No, I want to support my family, you, and little bear Xiaoluo."

He held his wife's two hands in front of him, and found a faintly visible strand of white hair in the curl of long black hair around his neck.

After all, my wife is old, and the bags under her eyes are slightly swollen. Her nose line is not very straight.

"So, Li Mu, you stay at home to cultivate, and I will take care of you in the future, okay?"

The faded woman said she had returned to work for a year and felt she could support a family of four.

There is no rule that a man must support a family and a woman must stay at home and be a housewife.Lu Hui can also switch positions and let Limu take care of the leisure work of breakfast, drying clothes, picking up and dropping off children, and raising children.

"No, no, you should stay at home. I will support you." Li Mu touched her five fingers and said, "It's because I can't make any money. I have worked hard for you all these years. This time I was promoted to Huaxi District as a Regional manager, I will make a lot of money back to you within two years."

He raised his voice to lie with bold words.

Lu Hui's appearance was not beautiful when he was young, but to Li Mu Lai Shu, his posture was dignified. Compared with the gorgeous Lu Weihuo, his taste was elegant and refined, which fascinated him.If he had the money to buy anthocyanins, he would have personally used the cosmetics and skin care products used by big stars... This is a pain in his heart.

Lying to your beloved wife is not only putting pressure on yourself, but also creating motivation for yourself.

Hearing what her husband said, Lu Hui felt even more distressed.While worrying about her little husband attracting bees and butterflies, she will naturally not forget that Li Mu herself is an active patient who failed heart surgery.Now that Limu is an adult, if he has another operation, he must take a huge risk, so he should find a leisurely job if he does not have an operation.

"Listen to my sister, stay at home, my sister will take care of you."

After hearing Li Mu's lies, Lu Hui, who is confused about major issues, of course doesn't know the hard work of Huaxi's land reclamation, but she knows that the higher the position, the more indispensable the drink work is.

Li Mu played and split Lu Hui's fingers like a child, but couldn't see her expression, thinking that she was still worried about her cheating.But when he looked up and looked sideways, he saw his wife was calm and serious, serious.Immediately, he understood what she was thinking, and just wanted to say something to her to reassure her, but his wife withdrew without saying anything.

"...Really, am I that vulnerable?"

Shaking his head towards the door, Li Mu turned back to finish the painting when he heard the sound of frying eggs in the kitchen.

Of course he would like to use comics to support his family if possible, but it is difficult to support his family with "ideals"!

If you want to draw a manga that can support your family, you must first make no mistakes in the selection of materials. You must determine "what kind of manga do I want to draw?", "Am I interested and motivated to complete it?", "The subject matter is Is it selling well in the market?" Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the market sales ranking in advance, find out the difference between mainstream and non-mainstream, and judge whether the competition of the same theme is fierce.

After choosing the theme, I have to continue to think about what kind of story I want to draw, and then summarize it in one sentence. "Dragon Ball" can be summarized as "the story of a group of people chasing the seven wishing beads." "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" can be summarized as "a series of murders caused by a group of people snatching a copy of the "Nine Yin Scriptures." "Slam Dunk" "is "a passionate and inspirational story of teenagers working hard to dominate the basketball world."

Comic events that deviate from the theme of the story are all side dishes, which can sometimes relieve the original atmosphere, or they may become a failure.Therefore, it is necessary to write a draft of the text before painting. Amateur painters do not need to be so serious about writing scripts. It is enough to record the general framework and the overall direction of the story.Of course, the character setting must not be sloppy, and the character and profile image should be recorded on the draft.

After understanding the needs of the market, confirming the object of one's "サービス", and shaping the story and character image based on this, the manga has actually succeeded in one-third of the way.If there is a connection, it is also a good choice to contact the writer of the best-selling story, after all, their stories are finished products that have been tested in practice.Cartoonists rely on the creativity of writers, and writers rely on the drawing skills of cartoonists, and the two form a benign and win-win relationship.

In other words, with popular story ideas, cartoonists themselves only have a hurdle of painting skills!

It goes without saying that every cartoonist, even an amateur painter, has a set of tools.In fact, you don’t need to buy so many tools. Limu’s manga painting has always been just a pencil, a comic pen holder, a g nib with variable thickness, and a round nib for depicting detailed parts.In this way, most of the problems can be dealt with with the pen.

Two cloud rulers of different styles, rulers for positioning, and set squares, the usage rate of rulers is actually no less than that of rubber rubber.A lot of draft paper (mainly A4 paper), it can also be a draft book, a small amount of original paper, drawing ink...

After the tools are ready and the story of the characters is complete, you can start drawing storyboards on the draft in full swing.The position of the frame is mainly to be determined among the multiple shots, and the function of each shot is also determined, such as the small shot for explanation, the shade shot for memory, etc.; the main purpose of a single shot is to determine the direction of the face, The character's position, body movements, etc., as for the delicate places such as fingers, eyes, hair, etc., you can be lazy.

The decisive moment is when the draft is drawn on the original paper. Which places need to be drawn delicately, which moments need to be dynamic, which movements need to be thick, which expressions need to be close-up...these all need to test the experience of the painter.Manga painters look at drawing skills, which require a long time of practice, and those who have studied for ten years but have not written once will never be able to draw good manga.

Conceive wonderful stories and draw comics that are both fantasy and reality, so it's finally a success?

In fact, it is not the case. If you want to support your family with comics, you are still 13 miles away. That is to choose an excellent comic company that thinks highly of you, and through their hype and recommendation, you can sell the comics to readers in order to make a profit.After entering the industry, I have to continue to work hard to cultivate specialized readers for myself and create a professional image, so that I can maintain an advantage in certain types of comics.

The road is long and long, and it is difficult to support a family.

An ideal is an ideal after all, just a dream.Home, we still need to take care of it...

Li Mu shook his head and touched the pen holder, and continued to complete the hobby painting that had been shelved for a year, but he couldn't touch the easier-to-use pencil just now.

Suddenly remembering that the pencil had dropped to the ground just now, it was lying not far from the table, and Li Mu bent down to pick it up too lazy to get up.

Just as he was grabbing the corner of the table and bent over to pick up the pencil, the pencil rolled unnaturally twice on the ground, and jumped into his palm along his fingers...

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! ! (To be continued.)