188: The 188th day of being popular
She consistently upheld her bottom line while nurturing hope.
At the end of the eighth episode, the story halted as the female lead was about to be sold to Tianxiang Pavilion. She was on the brink of facing new challenges.
As for the male lead, who had practically no screen time in the earlier episodes, he finally made his official appearance.
【Darn it, I binge-watched it all and then realized it's stopped right at this point!】
【Sobbing, the supporting actress actually died, I cried out loud.】
【I felt like when the supporting actress helped the female lead, it was like helping another version of herself. Even though she was aged and deteriorated, unable to survive under the heavy exploitation, she still hoped that the female lead could continue to live on for her, escaping such a tragic fate.】
【Sobbing, why doesn't that madam just die already? It's infuriating!】
【The entire cast is so talented! Especially the acting of the madam and the female lead, it's truly divine.】
【Absolutely, when the supporting actress died earlier, I didn't cry. But during Yao Bianliang's crying scene, I surprisingly teared up as well.】
【Please, production team, release more episodes! I can become a member for you guys.】
*****
Ansheng Entertainment.
The new drama coincided with Yao Bianliang's work, and Wen Xuan and others naturally paid great attention to this matter.
After filming an endorsement advertisement, Wen Xuan immediately took the time to inquire about the marketing situation.
However, upon seeing the relevant data report, she couldn't help but furrow her brows: "What's going on? Did you guys mess up somewhere?"
"Spring's Warmth and Rich Dew," this drama, had invested a substantial amount of money. Both the production design and post-production were aimed at the highest standards.
In theory, with this momentum, the production team should have engaged in an intense marketing campaign.
Yet, even with such a well-funded production team, there seemed to be no intention of marketing and promotion. Instead, they chose to quietly release it.
As if they were afraid of drawing public attention!
Currently, "Spring's Warmth and Rich Dew" had already begun airing, but its views numbers were noticeably low.
Due to inadequate early-stage promotion, their popularity was even less than half of "Legend of An Hua."
While this should have been something to be pleased about, Wen Xuan knew deep down that the poor data resulted from their lack of promotion.
Whether it would be a slow start or a slow but eventual success would depend on the follow-up situation.
The agent stood by her side and muttered, "I really wish I had made a mistake. But from the current situation, it seems the other production team hasn't done any promotion at all."
Wen Xuan couldn't help but fall silent.
If the other team isn't promoting, how are they supposed to ride on their popularity?
Was all the effort she put into arranging various marketing strategies in vain?
The agent said, "Wen Xuan, based on the current situation, not only can we not ride on their popularity, but we're also inadvertently boosting their popularity."
As he spoke, he pointed to a list of marketing articles and accounts they had bought: "These marketing accounts and online influencers are essentially boosting their popularity for them."
The viewership of "Spring's Warmth and Rich Dew" initially didn't even reach half of "Legend of An Hua." But because they had carried out their own promotional campaign, the other show's views had actually increased.
Wen Xuan: "..."
When she initially formulated the plan, she believed it was foolproof.
However, who could have expected that the opposition wouldn't play by the rules?!
Not engaging in any marketing or promotion, risking the entire show's downfall, just to hitch a ride on their meager popularity?
This is insane!
Wen Xuan's lips twitched, and she couldn't find words for a while. She truly couldn't fathom the other side's logic right now; she just felt utterly exhausted.
If she were given another chance, she definitely wouldn't come up with this method. It's like trying to steal a chicken and ending up losing the rice as well, needlessly strengthening the other side's popularity.
"Sigh, let it be..." Wen Xuan inwardly sighed.
After all, most of those marketing articles criticized Yao Bianliang's side, covering everything from makeup, styling, costumes, props, and character development. They were all aimed at belittling the other side.
Though they had given the other side a burst of popularity, they had at least solidified the image of "An Hua Chronicle" in the public's mind.
Yao Bianliang's script was destined to fall flat. Therefore, Wen Xuan wasn't worried that they would pose any threat.
"How's the public's reception to Yao Bianliang's drama now?" She returned the documents while asking.
In Wen Xuan's view, "Spring's Warmth and Rich Dew" had an extremely poisonous plotline that was bound to turn off most viewers.
Although only eight episodes had aired, there was no doubt that some controversial points had already emerged. She estimated that it was time for arguments to start online.
The agent glanced at Wen Xuan and understood what was on her mind.
He remained silent for a moment and finally said, "Don't worry, for now, the netizens' feedback on this drama is quite positive."
Wen Xuan froze, almost thinking she had misheard: "What did you say?"
Positive? How is that even possible?!
With such a poisonous plot, not cursing the creators would be saving them face.
Could it be that the information she had gathered had some inaccuracies?
Wen Xuan's heart skipped a beat, and she hurriedly asked, "What's going on? Could it be that the female lead isn't a woman who's been mistreated by many, subjected to humiliation and torment?"
The agent sighed, "Everything you mentioned is correct, but in this drama, these elements don't constitute controversial points."
Wen Xuan furrowed her brows, her gaze carrying a hint of disbelief.
She couldn't figure out how a script with such elements could be acceptable to viewers.
The agent sighed again, "We've been heading in the wrong direction all along."
The flashy and romantic promotional posters of "Spring's Warmth and Rich Dew," along with the story synopsis centered around "romance," led Wen Xuan and others to subconsciously think that this was a melodramatic romance drama.
But now, it's evident that it's not the case.
He paused, then finally said, "From start to finish, Yao Bianliang wasn't making a historical romance drama. Quite the opposite, they are creating a contemporary drama with a serious tone."
*****
Today might seem utterly ordinary to many people.
However, for Yao Bianliang, it's a crucial day.
If everything goes well today, she will successfully complete her system task and escape the difficulties, embarking on a new life.
Thus, half an hour before the premiere of "Spring's Warmth and Rich Dew" Yao Bianliang had already bathed, burned incense, retweeted numerous koi fish posts, and sat in front of her computer.
"Please, I hope after netizens watch this drama, they'll come and criticize me." Yao Bianliang clasped her hands together, silently praying in her heart.
And she hoped that a certain platform's ratings wouldn't go easy on her, delivering a strong blow. It would be best if the rating hovered around 1.3, outshining all poorly-rated dramas!
System: "Host, the lowest score on that platform can only be 2.1"
Yao Bianliang: "..."
Fine, 2.1 is acceptable.
In any case, anything below 3 points would be perfect.
The system's requirement was for a rating below 4 on that platform. She could achieve a perfect ending if she could remain within that range!
Yao Bianliang clicked into the first episode at exactly eight o'clock without delay.
Since the new drama had just been released, the barrage and comments were meager. She took a glance and found that the barrage mainly consisted of comments like "Wishing for a successful premiere" and "Checking in for the first episode."
It was hard to discern the audience's attitude from this.
Yao Bianliang wasn't worried either. The drama had just started airing, and even if the viewers wanted to criticize, they would need to watch one or two more episodes before they could start, it couldn't be so soon.
She decided to make herself a cup of coffee and joined everyone in watching the show.
As the camera moved and the plot gradually unfolded, Yao Bianliang observed her character on screen helping her sisters, struggling for survival, and maintaining hope and perseverance despite the oppression from the madam.
"Forget about everything else, the production quality of this drama seems pretty good," Yao Bianliang murmured involuntarily, "It has a movie-like texture."
Acting and watching a show were entirely different experiences.
During acting, there was no background music, no director's guidance, and numerous cameras constantly shifting around. Actors had to consider their positions, body language, and delivery of lines; they couldn't see the big picture.
Watching a show, however, was another matter.
As a viewer, she didn't need to think too much; she just had to enjoy the experience.
Although she already knew the plot, the impactful visuals and the fitting background music made for a wonderful viewing experience.
Furthermore, when writing the script, she had only outlined the general direction. She hadn't delved into the finer details; those were created by the scriptwriters.
Therefore, as the plot developed, Yao Bianliang was captivated by the story without conscious effort.
"I never thought that the plot I created would turn out so engaging on screen." Yao Bianliang was thoroughly enjoying herself.
Due to her professional tendencies, while watching a show, she not only focused on the plot but also appreciated the actors' performances and dialogues.
In this drama, every actor delivered exceptional performances; the various interactions between them flowed smoothly and engagingly, making it easy for the audience to immerse themselves in the story.
Each episode wasn't too long, and by the time it reached the end, it would automatically switch to the next one.
Leaning back in her chair, Yao Bianliang took small sips of her coffee, her gaze fixed intently on the screen.
Her thoughts followed the plot, completely unaware of the small details, allowing the computer to play the next episode automatically.
Episode after episode, when Yao Bianliang finally snapped back to reality, she realized it had reached the end of the eighth episode.
Glancing at the progress bar, she finally registered that she had already binge-watched up to the last episode.
"It's over so quickly..." Yao Bianliang felt somewhat unsatisfied.
She contemplated in secret that she would go and ask Mo Yougan for the complete episode tomorrow to watch.
As the actress playing the female lead, isn't it reasonable for her to use a bit of her privilege to get the entire series in advance for binge-watching?
System: "... Host, don't you feel like you've forgotten something important?"
Hearing the system's voice, Yao Bianliang's thoughts temporarily disengaged from the plot.
She paused for a moment, then recalled her initial purpose.
Oh, right, she originally intended to check the audience's reviews. Somehow, she got carried away by the plot and started binge-watching directly.
Yao Bianliang: "..."
Wait a minute, there seems to be something not quite right with this development.
How did she end up impulsively binge-watching like this?
In her original imagination, this should have been a drama full of toxic plot points, an extremely frustrating bad drama!!
Yao Bianliang's gaze fell on the computer screen. By this time, the computer had already started playing the ost.
Amidst the melodious music, the female lead danced a sorrowful dance. Her expression held a smile, yet her eyes were empty. Her skirt billowed, ribbons fluttered, she looked up at the ornate beams and rafters above, and in the end, tears fell as she gazed into the wind.
The scene was both exquisite and desolate.
Yao Bianliang fell silent.
It seemed that, from any angle, this drama didn't resemble a bad drama at all...
Not only was it not a bad drama, but its production quality was also exceptionally high, and the plot was extremely captivating!
By now, the night had deepened, and the moon hung high in the night sky.
The cup of coffee was still on the desk. It had been steaming earlier, but after watching all eight episodes, the coffee inside had turned cold.
And Yao Bianliang's heart... had turned cold as well.
She stared blankly at the computer screen, unwilling to believe this reality.
This wasn't logical; the plot was supposed to be a straightforward bad drama plot, how did it turn into this?
"Where did things start to go wrong?!"
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