“Henry Clark's design for this Rhine Cat—I think everyone can see its potential value and future prospects. So, as I just said, it would be a bit of a waste to use it only as a promotional mascot.”

“So, I plan to set up an entirely new department, dedicated to the IP development of Rhine Cat. In the future, Rhine Cat will not just be the mascot of Rhine Cosmetics, but an independent IP character.”

“We can produce Rhine Cat merchandise, animations, plush toys, clothing, and all kinds of licensed products. This will better enhance the influence of our Rhine brand, and in turn, benefit the cosmetics market.”

“This brand-new department will be temporarily named the Rhine Cat IP Development and Operations Team. It will be on the same level as the formal departments and report directly to me. And as for the leader of this team... it will be Henry Clark!”

Boom—

Lin... Henry Clark?

Such a high-level, important department directly overseen by President Harris, and yet Henry Clark, such a young and inexperienced person, is going to be in charge?

But after the initial shock, everyone thought it over carefully...

Isn’t this exactly what Henry Clark deserves? He was able to design Rhine Cat, and he’s proven with his abilities that he’s more than qualified for the position.

In an instant, thunderous applause erupted!

Colleagues excitedly congratulated Henry Clark:

“Amazing, Henry Clark! You’re directly becoming a team leader! How about transferring me to your department? I’ll be your loyal soldier!”

“You have to treat us to dinner tonight, Henry Clark! From now on, your rank and benefits are on par with Sister Juan’s—your salary must have tripled at least!”

“At the team leader level, who even looks at salary anymore! Just the performance bonuses alone... are several times your base pay! Not to mention, according to company policy, Henry Clark also gets copyright royalties! So say no more, Henry Clark, you have to go all out and treat us tonight!”

“Leader Clark! Don’t forget us when you’re rich and successful! You’re now the youngest team leader in our company, with a limitless future ahead!”

...

The excited colleagues surrounded Henry Clark, almost ready to toss him into the air in celebration.

“All right, all right, I’ll treat you all, just stop making a fuss.”

To be honest...

Even Henry Clark was very surprised by Grace Harris’s personnel appointment. After all, he really was quite inexperienced, having only been with the company for less than a year.

“Do your best, Henry Clark.”

Grace Harris walked up to Henry Clark, smiling at him:

“I really like the cat you designed, and I have great faith in your talent. I hope you can help our MX company expand into an even bigger commercial landscape.”

“Cosmetics are, after all, just replaceable fast-moving consumer goods. Only culture and art can endure through history.”

“Perhaps hundreds of years from now, people will no longer use MX company’s cosmetics, but they will still remember Rhine Cat.”

With that, Grace Harris turned and left:

“I’m looking forward to your results. Good luck.”

...

By the time he got home that night, it was already past ten.

Everyone was in high spirits at the dinner. Henry Clark had always been well-liked, so everyone was genuinely happy for his promotion.

During the conversation, a few senior colleagues told Henry Clark that Grace Harris and President Harris have always been bold and aggressive in promoting talent:

“Our MX company has developed so well and become nationally known in just two years... and that’s inseparable from President Harris’s willingness to break the mold in appointing people!”

“But, ahem, our President Harris is just as decisive when it comes to firing people! So you’d better be careful in the future...”

After his shower.

Henry Clark poured himself a glass of yogurt. This stuff helps with sobering up, and he felt much better after drinking it.

“Who would’ve thought... something from a dream could actually come in handy.”

All these years, Henry Clark had only thought about enjoying himself in his dreams, and had never tried to actually benefit from them.

“Even though things in dreams are fake, there’s no such thing as real or fake in art and design.”

He remembered what Grace Harris had said.

Mendeleev invented the “Periodic Table of Elements” in a dream, and Einstein was inspired for “Special Relativity” in a dream.

So, creating Rhine Cat in a dream was perfectly reasonable.

“No, in the dream it was called Keke Cat.”

Henry Clark yawned:

“Actually, Rhine Cat does sound better...”

Brushed his teeth and washed his face.

Got into bed.

...

...

Whoosh!

The familiar dry summer breeze, the familiar fresh scent of tender leaves.

Henry Clark opened his eyes.

It was still that familiar square.

Everything was as always, unchanged.

It was just that he’d gone to bed too late tonight, so there wasn’t a single child running and playing in the square—probably all home asleep by now.

Henry Clark looked back at the road.

The big-faced cat’s van wasn’t there either.

At this hour... he’d probably already met up with CC and set off for the bank.

“What should I do?”

Henry Clark looked around and noticed that the toy store he’d visited before was still open.

“Let’s go check out the Keke Cat plushies again, see what other styles they have.”

Since Grace Harris thought so highly of him, he couldn’t afford to let her down at work.