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

Chapter 272 Breaking Records, a Crossover That Shocked the Entire Internet
The third episode opens with a breathtaking explosion.

On the screen, the No. 45 bus twisted and deformed in the blinding flames, and the huge shock wave overturned the fruit stalls on the roadside, with bright red watermelons scattering like bomb fragments.

Thick smoke billowed, obscuring half the screen, with only the menacing "Canon" bell ringing relentlessly amidst the shrill sirens.

"Holy crap! I feel like the budget is burning up with these special effects!"

"I got goosebumps! The Canon in D is playing and my parents have raised me for nothing!"

"Li Shiqing is awake! Run, Mai Mai!"

……

The barrage of comments instantly became so thick that people's faces were almost invisible.

The scene abruptly cuts back to inside the bus, where Li Shiqing, played by Zhao Jinmai, wakes up from a nightmare. Her pupils dilate in extreme fear, her chest heaves violently, and cold sweat is visible on her forehead.

She instinctively gripped the armrest of the front seat, her fingertips turning white from the force.

"Driver! I...I feel unwell in my heart! Can I get off at the next stop...the next stop?"

Her voice trembled with the shock of surviving a disaster and was strained to suppress her sobs; every word seemed to be squeezed out of her throat.

"Mai Mai's acting is so realistic! The suffocating feeling is incredible!"

"The immersion was so strong, I couldn't breathe!"

"The driver's eyes are suspicious! There's definitely something wrong with him!"

……

The camera panned across the driver Huang Jue's face, which was expressionless yet held a hint of resolute determination.

At the same time, Xiao Heyun, played by Jiang Qing, who was sitting in the back row, also opened his eyes.

Unlike the pure terror and confusion of the previous two cycles, this time the bewilderment in his eyes was quickly replaced by a sharp rationality.

He observed each passenger in the car without making a sound, his gaze like the most precise scanner, sweeping over the nervous Liu Dan, the college student looking down at his phone, and Old Jiao carrying a snakeskin bag...

"Xiao Heyun's eyes changed! He's starting to use his brain!"

"Jiang Qing's micro-expressions! The transition from fear to calm analysis was so natural!"

"The brains of the team are online! Go, Jiang Shen!"

……

Xiao Heyun's gaze finally met that of Li Shiqing, who turned around in a panic.

Across several rows of seats, the air seemed to freeze for a moment when their eyes met.

The helplessness, fear, and hint of pleading in Li Shiqing's eyes clashed with the suppressed chaos and the rapidly rising rationality in Xiao Heyun's eyes as he tried to take control of the situation.

"Ahhh, our eyes met! This feeling of destiny!"

"I'm locking up this anti-bomb couple! Their teamwork is amazing!"

"Silence speaks louder than words! A single glance is enough to tell you've died together!"

……

At this moment of intense concentration, Xiao Heyun suddenly stood up, walked steadily through the swaying carriage, and sat down in the empty seat next to Li Shiqing.

He didn't look at Li Shiqing, his gaze was fixed straight ahead, his voice was very low, and it carried an unquestionable calmness.

"Don't panic, we...we might be in some trouble, big trouble."

Li Shiqing suddenly turned to look at him, her eyes filled with shock and a glimmer of hope that she had grasped at a straw.

-

Pengcheng, the headquarters building of Tencent Video.

In the brightly lit data center, on a huge screen, the curve representing the popularity of "The Beginning" is like a giant dragon awakening, soaring wildly upwards at an almost vertical angle!

"Mr. Yang! The popularity has surpassed 20,000! It's been 28 minutes since the broadcast started!"

A young technician wearing glasses, his voice cracking, pointed at the number "20087" on the screen and excitedly turned around and shouted.

The man referred to as "General Manager Yang" is none other than Yang Wei, who has been promoted to Vice President of Tencent Pictures.

He was standing in front of the big screen, still wearing his suit and clutching his phone tightly.

Looking at the curve that pierced the sky, his face was filled with disbelief and a hint of excitement.

"How many? 28 minutes?!"

Yang Wei's voice was a little hoarse.

Even though he had watched all the episodes of "The Beginning" in advance and was very confident in the show, the speed at which its popularity soared still far exceeded his boldest predictions.

Old Jiang, you're something else!

It wasn't for nothing that I came here specifically to monitor the data!

"Yes! It broke our platform's record for the fastest time to reach 20,000 views! The previous record holder was 'The Snow Sword,' which took 35 minutes!"

The technician quickly reported the comparative data.

Before Yang Wei could even process this surprise, another, even more excited voice rang out.

"Mr. Yang! It's broken 25,000! 41 minutes into the broadcast! Popularity value 25019!"

A collective gasp of surprise erupted throughout the data monitoring room.

Yang Wei felt a tingling sensation on his scalp and his palms were sweaty.

Time ticked by, and the numbers on the screen continued to skyrocket.

"Thirty thousand! Mr. Yang! Thirty thousand! 69 minutes after the premiere! Popularity value of 30006! Record broken! The fastest drama to reach 30,000 on the platform!"

The technical director practically yelled it out, his face turning bright red.

"Damn it... Old Jiang, you bastard! You got away with it again!"

Yang Wei muttered to himself, looking at the number on the screen that was still stubbornly climbing, as if he were witnessing a myth being born.

Suddenly snapping back to his senses, he immediately pulled out his phone, his fingers trembling slightly with excitement, and dialed his boss's number.

-

Almost at the same time that Tencent Video's backend data exploded, Weibo's trending topics list underwent its most frenzied reshuffling since the premiere of "The Beginning".

"Start broadcast" explodes
"Jiang Qing's acting skills" exploded
"Record-breaking popularity during the premiere"
"Xiao Heyun and Li Shiqing's sense of destiny"
"Canon ringtone PTSD" trending
"Penguin Video crashed" (new message: brief buffering due to a sudden surge in traffic).
"Zhao Jinmai's Terrifying Scenes" are a Hot Topic
The popularity of "Huang Jue's portrayal of the driver"
"Midday Sunshine yyds" Hot
"The oppressive feeling of Liu Yijun's interrogation"
……

More than half of the top 20 trending topics were related to "The Beginning," making the entire list a sea of ​​red!
Tencent Video's official Weibo account reacted swiftly, releasing the good news the moment the topic garnered over 30,000 views.

[Record-Breaking Moment!] #FirstBreak# Within 69 minutes of its premiere, the platform's popularity index surpassed 30000! Breaking the platform's record for fastest to reach 30,000! Thank you to all the passengers who joined us on this suspenseful Route 45 loop journey! Tonight's "Beginning" is a new record, and a new starting point! Stay tuned for more updates; the truth is yet to come! @JiangQing @ZhaoJinmaiAngel @LiuYijunActor @HuangJue @LiuTao @BeginningOfficialWeibo

The accompanying image is a screenshot showing a trending topic of "30000+" and a still from the drama showing Xiao Heyun and Li Shiqing gazing at each other on a bus.

This Weibo post was like pouring a ladle of hot water into a boiling oil pan—it was incredibly scalding!

"Holy crap! 30,000 in less than 70 minutes?! The fastest in Tencent's history?! Jiang Shen is awesome (voice cracks)!!!"

"Ahhhhh, I'm so proud! Listeners, assemble! Let's make Jiang Shen awesome!"

"Maixiang reports! Congratulations MaiMai! Congratulations to 'The Beginning'! Well deserved!"

"Noon Sunshine + Jiang Qing + Zhao Jinmai, this combination is a winning combination!"

"Aren't you all ashamed of your previous criticisms of Jiang Qing's acting skills? Don't you feel the sting of your faces?!"

... Countless fans flocked to the official Weibo account to celebrate wildly, and even more flocked to the Weibo accounts of marketing accounts and entertainment figures who had previously mocked Jiang Qing for "just dabbling" and "inevitably failing," and then triumphantly flooded the comments section with "?" and "Does your face hurt?" emojis.

It was past 11:30 p.m.

Viewers who binged all six episodes of the premiere felt as if they had undergone intense CPR; their adrenaline hadn't fully subsided before they eagerly flooded social media platforms with their excitement and awe.

The number of posts in the "Beginning" group on Douban is surging at a rate of dozens per second!
Under the post titled "Rational discussion: After watching all six episodes, Xiao Heyun's intelligence was consistently high, and Jiang Qing's acting was a pleasant surprise!", netizens expressed their opinions passionately.

"Jiang Qing doesn't seem like a newcomer at all! Xiao Heyun's emotions progressed clearly from initial panic and helplessness to being forced to accept reality, and then to actively observing and analyzing, trying to take control of the situation! Especially in the third episode at the police station, when facing Lao Zhang's oppressive interrogation, the forced composure in his eyes concealed extreme exhaustion and a hint of barely perceptible collapse, it was absolutely brilliant!"

"+1! His delivery of lines is also excellent, with clear pronunciation and a natural tone. He doesn't have the affected or greasy feeling that some actors have. His chemistry with Mai Mai in their scenes together is amazing!"

"Mai Mai's scenes of terror were so immersive! Every time she woke up, the physical fear and suffocation made my heart ache! This little sister has a bright future!"

"The pacing is so comfortable! Not dragging at all, packed with information, and the foreshadowing is so numerous and natural! Noon Sunshine is still the best!"

"The localization of the 'infinite flow' genre seems to be very successful so far! I'm looking forward to seeing how it's resolved later!"

……

On Weibo, casual viewers turned into enthusiastic advocates, enthusiastically recommending "The Beginning".

"Help! 'The Beginning' is so good! I can't stop watching! I binged all six episodes in one go! @bestie @roommate @colleague, go watch it! If you don't like it, come and hit me!"

"I originally watched it for Jiang Qing's looks, but I was completely won over by the plot and acting! Everyone was on point! The Canon in D is now a nightmare for me!"

"Please! Does anyone have the resources? I just subscribed to Tencent Video! It's not enough to watch! How many episodes will be released tomorrow? @TencentVideo, hurry up and update!"

……

WeChat Moments is currently flooded with posts about "The Beginning".

"The first hit drama of 2022! Investing in 'The Beginning' is definitely worth it! Jiang Qing is handsome and his acting is superb, and Mai Mai is cute and brave!"

"The moment the Canon begins, my heart stops! Tonight, we are all passengers on bus route 45."

"Xiao Heyun and Li Shiqing have such a fated CP vibe! I'm so happy!"

……

Short video platforms such as Douyin and Kuaishou have also fallen victim to the virus.

Topics such as "Starting Point", "Xiao Heyun's Killer Gaze", "Li Shiqing's Startled Awakening Moment" and "Canon Ringtone Horrifying Transformation" quickly climbed to the top of the trending list, and the number of views of related short videos exploded, easily exceeding hundreds of millions.

Renowned screenwriter Liu Heping posted late at night: "I watched all six episodes of 'The Beginning' overnight. Daylight Entertainment has once again proven its courage and ability in exploring genre dramas. The localization of the infinite flow setting is solid, the pacing is precise, and it balances suspense with human touch. I especially want to mention Dr. Jiang Qing. Despite not having formal training, her performance is so steady and precise. Her eyes, lines, and body language are all quite on point. She convincingly portrays the transformation of Xiao Heyun, a high-IQ character, from chaos to calmness, which is the biggest surprise. Zhao Jinmai is full of talent and has a promising future. It is undoubtedly a blockbuster to kick off the year."

Veteran film critic Dai Jinhua followed up with his comment: "The appeal of 'The Beginning' lies in its incorporation of a surreal cycle into the incredibly realistic atmosphere of everyday life. That No. 45 bus is a microcosm of contemporary society. Jiang Qing's performance imbues Xiao Heyun with a cool, logical demeanor typical of an engineer and a genuine human struggle after being forced into a disaster; this contrast is very captivating. There's something in his eyes, which is quite rare."

The lament of the director of the Zhejiang Satellite TV program acquisition department in an industry group has been exposed.

"Sun Zhonghuai really struck gold this time. Jiang Qing comes with top-tier traffic and buzz, and her acting skills have actually withstood the test of a serious drama. It's hard for this show not to be a hit. The broadcasting rights and advertising slots will probably be fought over fiercely!"

-

at the same time.

Luyang, the hotel for the Lighter film crew.

It was late at night, but Zhang Jingyi was wide awake.

She sat cross-legged on the soft bed in the hotel room, with an iPad on her lap, the screen frozen on a scene from "The Beginning".

In the dimly lit rented room, Xiao Heyun stared at a pile of complex code and bus route maps on his computer screen. He rubbed his temples wearily, his eyes bloodshot but his gaze unusually focused.

She was wearing headphones and had just finished watching all six episodes in one go; her heart was still pounding.

Unconsciously, his finger lightly traced Jiang Qing's tired face on the screen.

"This guy... he really acted convincingly."

She muttered to herself, but a proud smile unconsciously curved her lips.

I remember him on set during the day, wearing Li Xun's signature black outfit, typing away with an air of arrogance. His demeanor was completely different from Xiao Heyun on screen, who was racking his brains to break the loop, yet he was equally captivating.

She opened WeChat, found the pinned post "Jiangda PhD", and started typing rapidly.

"Xiao Heyun! The premiere performance was phenomenal! Tencent Video broke records! [Link: Tencent Video Official Weibo Announcement]"

"You acted quite well! Especially the scene in the police station where you confronted Liu Yijun, your eye acting was great! (Thumbs up)"

"This loop is giving me a headache... Canon is playing on repeat in my head! It's all your fault! (Angry) (Angry)"

After sending it, she tossed the iPad aside, leaned back on the soft pillow, and stared at the ceiling, but the images of the bus explosion and Xiao Heyun's deep, somewhat tired eyes still lingered in her mind's eye.

Pengcheng, the headquarters of Tencent Video.

Although it was late at night, the entire content operations center was still brightly lit, and the atmosphere was as if a victory had been won.

Sun Zhonghuai, Vice President of Tencent Group and CEO of Tencent Video, was personally present, his face beaming with undisguised excitement.

"You've seen the data?"

Sun Zhonghuai looked around at the core executives of Tencent Video in the conference room, his voice loud and clear.

"We've fired the first shot of the year! And it's the loudest shot yet! Not only did the initial buzz break records, but user dwell time, completion rate, and new member acquisition all exceeded expectations! This proves that our path of adhering to high-quality and genre-specific innovation is the right one!"

He tapped his fingers firmly on the table.

"Resources! Give them your full support! Increase the advertising budget! All available promotional slots—homepage banners, pop-ups, push notifications, and splash screen ads—should be prioritized for 'The Beginning'! Coordinate with our social media matrix and keep trending topics alive! Focus on user discussions, such as Jiang Qing, Canon, anti-explosive CP, Aunt Guo, and the driver, and conduct in-depth research and secondary creation around these! Create momentum both online and offline!"

"Understood, Mr. Sun!"

Everyone responded in unison, full of enthusiasm.

Sun Zhonghuai nodded in satisfaction, his gaze sweeping over the dazzling night view of Shenzhen outside the window, a knowing smile spreading across his face.

This grand opening feast, ignited by "The Beginning," has only just begun.

And the man at the center of the storm—Jiang Qing—his name will carry a completely different weight in the film and television industry starting tonight.

-

The winter night in Luyang was chilly and the wind was biting.

In the living room of Binhu Shuangxi, Jiang Qing had just finished a transoceanic technical meeting and rubbed his temples, looking slightly tired.

The huge screen of the living room TV was still showing the playback page of "The Beginning" on Tencent Video, while the small screen next to it displayed a data summary and a summary of public opinion across the internet compiled by Thirteen.

He walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and looked down at the sleeping city.

The phone screen lit up; it was a few messages from Zhang Jingyi, a mix of playful temper and subtle praise.

He opened the message and saw the familiar tone. It was as if the image of the girl sitting cross-legged on the bed, wrinkling her nose as she sent the message appeared before his eyes.

He paused for a moment on the screen with his fingertip, then replied.

"Teacher Zhang, you flatter me. Do you have a headache? I suggest playing something else on repeat, like... behind-the-scenes footage from the movie 'Lighter'?"

After sending the message, he put down his phone and looked out the window again.

I still have a bunch of messages to reply to, I'll reply to them later and let them process them first.

The city lights, like a galaxy on the ground, were reflected in his calm eyes.

Xiao Heyun's terrifying night has temporarily come to an end, but Li Xun's story will continue to be written on the film set in Luyang when the sun rises tomorrow.

The noise and praise belong to tonight; for him, tomorrow will still be another workday requiring his full dedication and routine.

However, the faint smile at the corner of his mouth betrayed that he was not entirely calm at the moment.

(End of this chapter)