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

Chapter 282: Douban rating released, a show of respect from Tencent.
The internet was in turmoil again early the next morning.

First, sharp-eyed netizens noticed that the schedules for the coming week that were originally posted on the official Weibo accounts of Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo's studios had suddenly been mostly cleared out.

Following this, several official Weibo accounts of brands that they had previously endorsed quietly removed the pinned official announcement posters and latest materials, replacing them with promotions for brand activities or the products themselves.

More noticeably, several high-end endorsement deals that were in the works have been suspended.

This silent disappearance was like a boulder thrown into the sensitive entertainment industry.

"Holy crap... has this been a soft ban?"

"Is there even a question? Look at the official media's assessment yesterday, and then look at Wuwen's swift and decisive actions. Which brand or platform would dare to use it? The risk is too great! It will disappear for at least a while."

"Overnight, a top star turned into a shooting star... The speed at which this building collapsed is incredible."

"Jiang Shen is awesome! His words truly come true! He said he'd teach someone a lesson, and he really did!"

"Although it's a bit sad... but considering what their fans did and the celebrity's attitude of pretending to be dead, they deserve it!"

"A major reshuffle is coming to the entertainment industry! Let's see who dares to tolerate cyberbullying from fans in the future!"

……

There are undercurrents within the industry.

Countless agents' phones were ringing off the hook, and WeChat groups were flooded with messages, all with the same core message: Stay away from those two, and absolutely do not get involved!

In many people's minds, the name Jiang Qing has evolved from "something you can't afford to offend" to "something you need to respect."

This subtle atmosphere inevitably spread to the set of Luyang Lighter.

Jiang Qing arrived promptly at 7:30, just like always.

As soon as he entered the photography studio area, he keenly sensed that the atmosphere was different from usual.

Good morning, Teacher Jiang!

Good morning, Dr. Jiang!

The greetings continued, but the familiar warmth in their tone had faded, replaced by a cautious respect.

The stagehands who usually chatted with him were now just smiling and nodding from afar, their eyes filled with a hint of seriousness.

Even the staff member who handed him the water cup seemed to deliberately move more gently.

The atmosphere in the dressing room was rather quiet.

When the stylist was fixing his hair, his technique was still professional, but he was noticeably quieter, unlike usual when he would chat about the weather or last night's show.

When Zhao Zhiwei and Cui Yuxin entered, they both paused for a moment.

Good morning, Teacher Jiang!

Zhao Zhiwei's voice was louder than usual, and his smile seemed forced and a little tense.

He glanced at Jiang Qing quickly, then looked away just as fast.

"Good morning, Brother Jiang!"

Cui Yuxin quickly followed, speaking respectfully.

Jiang Qing saw their reflection in the mirror and understood.

The aftershocks of yesterday's storm that swept across the entire internet are still lingering; they were stunned by the spectacle and haven't been able to adjust for a while.

His face remained unchanged, still bearing a gentle smile, as he nodded to the two figures in the mirror.

"Good morning. Didn't you sleep well last night? You look a bit tired."

His tone was natural, a typical casual expression of concern.

Zhao Zhiwei was taken aback for a moment, then seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, and his smile became more natural.

"Huh? I guess it's because he stayed up late playing games."

Cui Yuxin scratched his head.

"Maybe... I drank too much coffee."

"Okay, take care and get some rest."

Jiang Qing didn't say anything more and turned her gaze back to the mirror.

Ma Ke finished filming at the beginning of the month, and now he's only close to those two male actors in the crew, so he doesn't want to be too distant.

Of course, he knew that this invisible barrier would take time to overcome.

He neither deliberately emphasizes not to be nervous, as that would seem contrived, nor does he allow this sense of alienation to persist.

Keep a calm mindset, just do what you normally do, and things will naturally get better in a couple of days.

Just then, the door to the lounge was pushed open with a bang, bringing in a blast of cold air from a winter morning.

"Jiang Qing, good morning!"

Zhang Jingyi was wrapped in a long white down jacket, looking like a snowball that had rolled in. Her cheeks were flushed from the cold wind outside, and the tip of her nose was also a little red.

Her eyes sparkled, and she had a clear goal after entering the room. She rushed to Jiang Qing's dressing chair in a few steps, put her hands on the back of the chair, bent down slightly, and stared intently at him in the mirror, her eyes looking as if she were examining some newly discovered prehistoric creature.

"what?"

Jiang Qing raised an eyebrow at her gaze.

"Tsk tsk tsk..."

Zhang Jingyi smacked her lips and circled around him for a short while.

"Let me take a good look at our Jiang University PhD, Jiang University CEO, Jiang University Top Figure... do they really have some kind of superhuman abilities? Or are they hiding some secret weapon?"

Her tone was exaggerated and clearly teasing, but in her beautiful almond-shaped eyes, shock almost overflowed, mixed with a trace of... the lingering effect of being strongly impacted.

Although it wasn't the first time she knew how capable Jiang Qing was, she had encountered his formidable side much earlier than most people.

But yesterday's counterattack, which can be described as a dimensional reduction attack, from the technical lock-on to the official media's tone, and then to the near disappearance of the opponent overnight, such thunderous and dramatic tactics still gave her a completely new and incredibly concrete understanding of the word "powerful".

"Secret weapon?"

Jiang Qing chuckled and raised her hand as if to flick her forehead, which was too close to hers.

"I think you've frozen stiff. Where's your scarf? Your neck is practically gone."

Zhang Jingyi nimbly dodged backward and straightened up with a grin.

"Mind your own business! I have plenty of firepower!"

She spoke toughly, but her hand unconsciously touched her bare neck; it was indeed a bit cold.

"Why is someone with such high firepower wearing such thick clothes?"

Jiang Qing exposed her without any mercy, casually picked up the scarf she had just taken off from the back of the chair next to her, and threw it at her without even looking.

"Wrap it up, so your voice doesn't get hoarse tomorrow and interfere with filming."

The scarf, carrying his faint scent, was thrown over Zhang Jingyi's head and face. "Hey!"

Zhang Jingyi caught it in a flustered manner; the soft touch felt very comfortable against her slightly cool skin.

She pouted and muttered "domineering" under her breath, but her movements didn't stop at all. In a few quick movements, she wrapped the scarf around her neck twice, the long tassels hanging down in front of her chest, making her face look even smaller.

The lingering warmth of the scarf enveloped her, and the feeling of seeing aliens strangely faded.

She tugged at her scarf and leaned closer to the mirror, deliberately putting on a serious face and mimicking Jiang Qing's usual calm and collected tone.

"Jiang Qing, the organization is very satisfied with your performance! Keep up the good work and strive for even greater victories!"

Her impersonation was really bad; her tone was serious, but her eyes were cunning and lively.

Jiang Qing was amused and burst out laughing, her shoulders even shaking slightly.

"Comrade Zhang Jingyi, the organization is ordering you to change your clothes and get your hair styled immediately. Stop your nonsense."

"Yes, Commander Jiang!"

Zhang Jingyi gave a playful, slightly off-standard salute, then turned and skipped towards her makeup station. Her fluffy down jacket and long scarf swayed with her movements, making her look like a lively little bear.

Zhao Zhiwei and Cui Yuxin exchanged a glance as they watched the two banter so naturally, and their tense nerves finally relaxed.

Yes, Jiang Qing is still the same Jiang Qing, the Dr. Jiang who would joke with them.

The towering waves outside seemed to have never truly affected his composure here.

Zhang Jingyi sat down in her chair, and the stylist came over to help her take her hair off.

She looked at herself in the mirror, wrapped in Jiang Qing's scarf. Her cheeks seemed to still have a slight chill from the cold wind, but her heart felt warm.

A sudden, unexpected thought popped into my head.

The person I like is indeed... incredibly amazing!

This realization secretly filled her with a sweet sense of pride, like having hidden a piece of candy.

Filming continued, and time slipped towards January 15th amidst the tense pace.

The popularity of "The Beginning" is like a wildfire, not only not weakening, but burning even more fiercely.

Douban officially released its rating today, and "The Beginning" lived up to expectations, scoring 8.4!
It has a very high score, which is definitely outstanding among domestic dramas.

"8.4! Well deserved! Daylight Entertainment, Infinite Flow, and all the actors' performances are top-notch, it deserves this score!"

"It's already quite high, but I think it can go even higher! The plot will get even more explosive later on!"

"Be content! These days, any drama that scores 8 or higher is a masterpiece!"

"Where are the points deducted? Is it because you think there are too many loops? Or because you think Jiang Qing is too handsome?"

"Haha, maybe they think Canon is too catchy and gives them PTSD!"

……

Fans cheered for the high score, but were also a little greedy, thinking it could have gone even higher.

More compelling data silenced all doubters: with eight episodes released, "The Beginning" has surpassed one billion views, averaging a staggering 1.25 million views per episode!
It unsurprisingly secured its position as the number one TV series of 2022, leading by a wide margin!

On social media platforms, discussions about it accounted for a staggering 92.9% of the total, almost overwhelming the competition.

In-depth analyses in lengthy articles have emerged on WeChat public accounts and Toutiao, while short video platforms such as Douyin, Kuaishou, and Bilibili have been completely overrun. Fan-made content such as "Canon in D costume transformation," "anti-explosion CP scene," "Aunt Guo's killer gaze," and "Old Zhang's oppressive interrogation" have spread virally, with views often exceeding 100 million.

The Weibo hot search list has almost become the exclusive territory of "The Beginning", occupying more than a dozen hot search terms on average every day.

The "Anti-Explosion CP" super topic has firmly held the top spot on the CP ranking, with its popularity far surpassing that of the second-place "Jiang Zhou Yu Huo".

Every day, countless posts in the super topic are "making wishes" and "urging for more updates".

"Ahhh, the way Xiao Heyun looked at Li Shiqing at the end of episode 8! It was so cute! Absolutely cute!"

"Please! Noon Daddy! Give the Anti-Explosion CP a kiss! A kiss in the loop doesn't count as a time reset, right?"

"Fans of the original novel say there will be both sweet moments and intense heartbreak later on! Tissues are ready!"

"Jiang Qingmai, come out and start working! We need real-life candy to keep us going!"

"We haven't seen any sweet moments yet, but we've heard there's a kissing scene!"

"Bring it to me quickly!"

……

Not only are the main characters attracting much attention, but the supporting actors in the drama have also all risen to stardom.

Liu Yijun's portrayal of veteran detective Zhang Cheng is calm and experienced, and his interrogation scenes are incredibly intense, earning him the nickname "Pillar of Stability" from netizens.

Liu Dan's portrayal of Aunt Guo, Tao Yinghong, is so chilling that a single glance from her can send shivers down your spine, causing a surge in online discussion.

Huang Jue's portrayal of bus driver Wang Xingde, a complex performance that conveyed despair beneath a blank expression, also garnered a lot of praise.

It truly achieved a situation where everyone was involved and no one, no matter how small, was overlooked.

Although the entire series has only 15 episodes, eight episodes have already been aired, which is already more than halfway through.

Tencent Video seized the opportunity and released a piece of news that drove all drama fans crazy.

On the night the finale of "The Beginning" airs, a grand offline celebration banquet will be held in Shenzhen! All the main cast and crew members will be invited to attend!
Even more excitingly, lucky fans will be drawn from all members to attend the ceremony in person and interact with the creators! The entire event will be streamed live online!
Aside from iQiyi's "Story of Yanxi Palace," this is the first time Tencent Video has done something like this.

This level of prestige is absolutely unprecedented on Tencent Video! It's off the charts!

The news caused an uproar across the internet.

"Penguin Daddy is so generous! This kind of support is worthy of 'The Beginning'!"

"Pick me! Pick me! I want to go see Xiao Heyun and Li Shiqing live!"

"Live broadcast! Live broadcast from start to finish! It's practically like I was there too!"

"Ahhh, I want to see Jiang Qing and Mai Mai together! I want to know what their interactions are like in private!"

"Please, please pick me! I'd trade my best friend's ten years of single life for a ticket!"

"Will there be any interactive games? I want to see them kiss!"

"The lady upstairs...you've hit the nail on the head!"

"Shout after me! A crane soars into the clear sky, its flight inspiring poetic thoughts that reach the heavens! Anti-fraud CP is awesome! (Voice cracks)"

……

Fans are eagerly anticipating the celebration banquet and looking forward to seeing Jiang Qing and Zhao Jinmai interact off-screen.

The "anti-explosion couple" in the drama are full of destiny. Off-screen, one is a rising star who has crossed over from artificial intelligence, and the other is a talented young actress who has grown up in the public eye. This combination is full of topics and room for imagination.

The phenomenal storm that was just beginning is still ongoing.

(End of this chapter)