Huayu 2021: Isn’t he in the technology field?

Chapter 268, the beginning of the story, has been scheduled for release but is not well-received.
Jiang Qing was unaware of everything that was happening in Hengdian. The filming of the "Lighter" movie crew continued as usual, and the production was gradually nearing its end.

Two more days passed in the blink of an eye, and time officially entered the new year, arriving at January 1st, 2022.

On New Year's Day morning, the sunlight brought a touch of warmth, but it couldn't dispel the inherent chill of winter.

Many people are still enjoying the lingering effects of the holiday, scrolling through their phones and planning their first gathering of the new year.

At exactly 10:00 AM, the long-silent official Weibo account of "The Beginning" suddenly updated with a new post without any warning.

#The Beginning is scheduled for release on January 0111th##The Beginning of the TV Series# A series of explosions, a mystery of truth, what clues are within sight and hearing? (Adjusts glasses)
A limited-time rescue event is about to begin! Join us on January 11th on @TencentVideo to be teammates in this loop (cheers!).

Leading actors: @JiangQing @ZhaoJinmaiAngel
Special appearance: @LiuYijunactor
Special appearance by: @刘韬tamia
Co-starring: @HuangJue @LiuDan_ota
Starring: @Song Jiateng @Zeng Kelang @Zhang Xiqian @Actor Ma Lan @Actor Jiao Peng_532 @Little Actor Bu Yuxin @-Li Gan- @Fan Shuaiqi @Yu Peishan

#The Beginning is Scheduled for Release 0111#
Below the post was a poster titled "Space-Time Gap".

In the ruins of a broken time and space, bus No. 45 stands alone, with Xiao Heyun and Li Shiqing sitting side by side on the roof.

They looked up, their gaze piercing through layers of metal debris and broken clock hands, landing on a sliver of light peeking through the gaps in the clouds.

A white crane with outstretched wings is striving to fly towards the beam of light, and the text in the corner of the poster clearly states:
“电视剧开端1月11日起，企鹅视频全网独播！会员每周二、周三20点更新2集，首更6集！非会员每周二到周五20点更新1集。”

The official Weibo account followed up with another video update, a trailer titled "Canon Trap".

Upon entering the video, the urgent "Canon" ringtone of a cell phone acts like a death knell. The scene rapidly switches between the flames of an explosion, the male and female protagonists waking up in fright on a bus, the serious interrogation at the police station, and the various expressions of the passengers on the bus.

Jiang Qing's portrayal of Xiao Heyun shows a range of emotions from initial confusion and fear to exhaustion and despair, and finally to a resolute determination as if she were determined to burn her bridges.

Zhao Jinmai's portrayal of Li Shiqing gradually reveals a captivating resilience and courage, transforming her from a seemingly weak and helpless character.

At the end of the trailer, just as the two thought they had escaped and smiled at each other, the familiar "Canon" bell rang out again, instantly turning Li Shiqing's face pale and Xiao Heyun's pupils constricted, immediately creating suspense!
"Release date is set!!!"

"Aaaaaaah, it's finally here! 111!"

"It's Chinese New Year! I'll have some shows to binge-watch during winter break!"

"The poster and trailer are absolutely stunning! Jiang Qing's change in expression gave me goosebumps!"

"Mai Mai acted so well! She brought out both the fear and the resilience!"

"Looking forward to Jiang Shen's first drama, looking forward to Xiao Heyun!"

……

The official Weibo account's comment section was instantly flooded with comments.

Fans who had been eagerly waiting for the show were overjoyed, jumping up and down in the comments section like parched land receiving rain.

Within minutes, the hashtag "#Premiere0111" was followed by a bright red "Explosive" and jumped to the top of Weibo's trending topics list.

Zhao Jinmai almost immediately reposted the message on the official Weibo account.

"Passenger Li Shiqing is in position! Join us on January 11th on Tencent Video to uncover the truth! @KaiduanOfficial #KaiduTVSeriesKaiduan#"

Her fans, known as "Maixiang," quickly rallied to control the comments section, expressing their anticipation for their idol's new drama.

"A new beginning for Mai, looking forward to Li Shiqing, let's embark on a cyclical journey together @Zhao Jin Mai angel"

"Exploring the unknown and breaking through the mysteries, the truth gradually surfaces. Breaking the cycle, breaking free from constraints. Looking forward to Li Shiqing @赵妗麦angel"

"Getting on the bus is the 'beginning,' getting off is the 'end.' Li Shiqing (@Zhao Jinmai angel)'s fantastic journey is about to begin!"

……

Talented actors such as Liu Yijun, Liu Tao, Huang Jue, and Liu Dan also shared the post to promote the series.

Liu Yijun even posted a selfie from the show, jokingly captioning it: "Old Zhang is under a lot of pressure; this case is too mind-bending!"

The other lead actors also joined in the fun by posting their own messages.

Clearly, this was all a publicity stunt arranged in advance by the production team.

At this moment, everyone's eyes were focused on the last key figure—the male protagonist, Jiang Qing.

His Weibo account has always been as quiet as a deep pool.

So far, there have only been two updates, as quiet as if the account password has been forgotten.

Will the river god rotate?

"I doubt it, he doesn't seem to use Weibo much."

"This is his first leading role in a drama! Shouldn't he give us something in return?"

"Don't get your hopes up too high, he can't even be bothered to share updates from his own company..."

Fans anxiously and expectantly flooded the comments section.

Just as the discussion was in full swing, the word "just now" suddenly appeared at the bottom of Jiang Qing's Weibo homepage.

He updated his status!

Jiang Qing reposted the official Weibo post announcing the release date and trailer. The caption was extremely concise, consisting of only four words: "The cycle begins."

Although it consists of only four words and a topic, it's like adding cold water to a boiling oil pan, causing it to explode instantly!

"Ahhh! What did I just see! Jiang Shen spun around! He spun around himself!"

"Loop starts! Ahhh, this is so exciting! I'm totally empathizing with Xiao Heyun!"

"Jiang Shen posted on Weibo! I can't believe it! Spread the word!"

"Screenshot to commemorate this historic moment!"

"Jiang Qing is so handsome! Xiao Heyun's eyes are killing me!"

"#TheBeginningPremieres0111# Crisis lurks everywhere, and an unknown abyss lies ahead. A stalemate of reincarnation, through strategic planning, they explore the unknown truth. Starting January 11th, watch together as Xiao Heyun (@Jiang Qing) finds the beginning and breaks through the encirclement!"

"#TheBeginningIsSetToPremiere0111# Is it a devastating cycle of reincarnation, or the beginning of redemption? Is it a bizarre dream, or an absurd reality? Find out more in @TheBeginningofTVSeries, and look forward to Xiao Heyun @JiangQing uncovering the truth and revealing the mystery!"

"#TheBeginningIsSetToPremiere0111# Humanity and redemption, opportunity and challenge, the cycle of fate is about to begin. How to break the cycle and turn danger into safety? We look forward to the wonderful performance of newcomer actress @JiangQing!"

……

Jiang Qing's massive fan base, the "Listeners," reacted swiftly, flooding the comment section at an astonishing speed. They uniformly expressed their support and anticipation for their idol's new drama, and the front row was quickly filled with meticulously crafted promotional texts, creating a truly spectacular scene.

However, amidst the excitement, discordant voices also emerged.

"Heh, why can't someone who does scientific research just be a good boss? Why do you have to come here and act to have some fun?"

"The trailer was just well-edited; who knows if the actual film will give it away? Every industry is a different field, so don't be too confident."

"Exactly, an AI genius is just putting on an act? More hype than substance, huh? Let's wait and see how this goes."

"I guess it's just a hobby, a chance to experience what it's like to be a star. How good are their acting skills anyway?"

"It's probably someone with connections; they probably brought their own funding to the production and snatched the role from someone else."

……

Although these doubts and mockery were quickly drowned out by the fans' voices, they still stubbornly persisted, like thorns in the shadows, occasionally pricking you.

Many marketing accounts that wanted to ride the wave of popularity also jumped on the bandwagon, resulting in a proliferation of clickbait headlines.

"Jiang Qing of Wuwen Technology makes his crossover debut! 'The Beginning' officially announced release date, will it be amazing or a flop?" "AI genius VS actor Xiao Heyun, can Jiang Qing break the crossover curse?"

"Acting skills praised in trailer? Industry insiders: cautiously optimistic, still need to see the full film to prove it."

"The release date of 'The Beginning' has ignited anticipation. Will Jiang Qing's genius shine on the screen?"

It's not just entertainment media outlets stirring things up; this trend has also created ripples within the entertainment industry itself.

Huanyu Media.

Yu Zheng, who had just finished a meeting, saw the trending topic on social media, scoffed, and began to give unsolicited advice in front of everyone in the meeting room.

"Look at this CEO Jiang, he's got real connections. Even just setting a release date can go viral. But..."

He picked up the coffee beside him and blew on it to cool it down.

"Anyone can edit a trailer, right? The face in the full movie, which has no professional training, will definitely show its incompetence as soon as it moves. Just wait, there will be plenty of people watching the show on the 11th."

The group looked at each other in bewilderment, and then began to chime in with their agreement.

Director Wu Ershan, who had previously questioned Jiang Qingshuimu during his lecture, posted a meaningful emoji on his WeChat Moments.

A cat wearing glasses sits in front of a wine glass, with the words "Champagne ready, waiting..." next to it.

Although he didn't say it outright, people in the industry all know what he's "waiting for"—nothing more than to see Jiang Qing, this newcomer from another field, make a fool of herself.

Similar situations keep happening one after another. Last time, many industry insiders who jumped out because of Jiang Qing's lecture withdrew after the statements from major companies and universities. This time, they finally seized the opportunity and couldn't help but jump out to make sarcastic remarks in their familiar fields.

Most people are not optimistic about whether "The Beginning" will be a huge success.

One issue is its subject matter, and another is that actors like Jiang Qing, who cross over into other fields, generally don't make much of a splash.

There are plenty of examples in the entertainment industry of people with wealthy families who still can't become famous, and few people thought that Jiang Qing would be an exception.

Luyang, the headquarters of Wuwen Technology.

It was lunchtime in the bright and spacious office.

Several young engineers on duty for New Year's Day huddled together, pointing and gesturing at their phone screens, their faces beaming with barely suppressed excitement and pride.

"Look! President Jiang is trending on social media! And he's at the top of the list!"

"I saw it! I saw it! The loop begins! Our CEO Jiang's four words are so powerful!"

"Those sour comments are so annoying! What do they know! What can't our President Jiang do well? Should I make a mini-program so they can all open the boxes?"

"No, no, no! If President Jiang finds out, he'll definitely scold us. Besides, we have to trust President Jiang's abilities!"

"Exactly! President Jiang's acting in the trailer was superb! That tired yet determined look in his eyes was amazing!"

"Just wait, once the show airs, we'll give them a good slap in the face!"

……

Chen Duo, carrying a tablet, strode through the office area toward the laboratory.

Pushing open the door, one sees Jiang Qing standing in front of a huge transparent control panel, intently adjusting a precisely structured robotic arm.

He was wearing a simple dark gray turtleneck sweater and casual pants, and his buzz cut made him look particularly neat and energetic.

On the screen on one side of the control panel, complex code flows like a waterfall.

"Mr. Jiang."

Chen Duo approached, his voice tinged with helplessness.

"You're trending on social media, and the discussion is off the charts, but... there are also quite a few dissenting voices."

Jiang Qing didn't turn around immediately; her fingers slid rapidly across the touchscreen, adjusting the parameters.

He only straightened up and took off his protective goggles after the robotic arm smoothly completed a high-precision grasping motion.

"As expected."

He took the tablet from Chen Duo and casually glanced at the trending topics and comments section.

Those sharp questions did not cause any ripples in his eyes.

His gaze lingered for a moment on the comments from his supportive fans, and the corners of his mouth curved upwards almost imperceptibly.

"Overall, everyone is still looking forward to it."

Chen Duo added, his tone becoming more relaxed.

"The company's internal group chat is buzzing with excitement; everyone's cheering you on."

"Ah."

Jiang Qing responded and handed the tablet back to Chen Duo, her gaze returning to the control panel.

"Tell them to focus on their work; whether the show is good or not, the audience will decide."

He smiled slightly, without the slightest hint of nervousness or attempt to defend himself, only a composure based on his own strength and judgment.

Chen Duo nodded.

"Understood. Oh, by the way, Tencent Video asked if we'd be free tonight for a short online group interview. It'll mainly be the main cast and crew chatting about their feelings about the release date and some fun stories from filming. It won't be long."

Jiang Qing thought for a moment and nodded to indicate that there was no problem.

"Sure, I have to go to the film set this afternoon. Please arrange it with them, preferably after 8 o'clock."

"Alright Mr. Jiang."

Chen Duo smiled and agreed, then turned and left.

The laboratory returned to silence.

Jiang Qing walked to the window and looked down at the winter landscape of the park.

Sunlight streamed in through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, casting soft shadows on his sharply defined profile.

He picked up his phone, which was sitting on the corner of the console. The screen was still showing the Weibo post he had retweeted.

In the comments section, fans' enthusiastic messages continue to be refreshed.

He hovered his fingertip over the screen for a moment, but ultimately did not reply to any of the messages. He simply tapped the screen and exited Weibo.

Immediately, he turned around and put his protective goggles back on, and the faint sound of instruments running could be heard again in the laboratory.

Outside the window, the winter sun in Luyang is warm and bright.

Meanwhile, the storm in the online world is intensifying, with discussions surrounding the "beginning" and Jiang Qing's name growing ever stronger.

Many people are waiting for January 11th to arrive, wanting to see how this drama will end.

Watching a spectacle is always a source of endless enjoyment.

(End of this chapter)