Lin Chudong could start preparing for this, but he needed to focus on Director Sun's program first.
According to the terms Sun Xuan had offered, if they could create a hit variety show, they might make a killing.
The main advantage of TV shows was their short production cycles and relative flexibility.
Once he joined a film crew, it would be difficult for him to split his time and earn extra money.
*Sigh, with so few people, it's hard to manage everything. I need to hire more talent.*
***
On Tianxun Video, Mei Xinghe had just hung up the phone with Liang Yin, a look of disbelief on his face.
*Rejected?*
Mei Xinghe was taken aback. This was completely unexpected.
Lin Chudong hadn't even signed an exclusive deal yet. He was clearly waiting for these companies to bid on the rights so he could make a killing.
*Bright Sword* had already aired halfway through. Why would he still be holding onto the rights?
Moreover, General Manager Liang hadn't even tried to negotiate the price. If she was dissatisfied, she could have countered.
*She actually claimed to have signed an exclusive with SouTu Video. Is that just an excuse?*
He clearly remembered that the deal with SouTu Video wasn't exclusive.
Mei Xinghe quickly opened SouTu Video and searched for *Bright Sword*.
In the top right corner of the drama's cover image, two words stood out:
*Exclusive*.
Even though the TV premiere was first, an online exclusive was still an exclusive.
Mei Xinghe's eyes widened. *They actually signed an exclusive? Since when?*
He quickly sent a WeChat message to Ji Tienan.
"General Manager Ji, when did you sign an exclusive deal with Big Fei?"
Ji Tienan: "What are you talking about?"
Mei Xinghe: "Bright Sword."
Ji Tienan: "Oh, *Bright Sword*? My team handled the negotiations, I don't know the details."
Mei Xinghe: ...
*What a fucking act.*
How could Ji Tienan pull off this Commander of a major corporation act so convincingly?
It was as if *Bright Sword* was just some trivial side project for his company.
Signing an exclusive deal with Big Fei must have cost at least tens of millions, right?
With their company barely afloat, wouldn't parting with tens of millions—nearly all their assets—hurt?
I opened SouTu Video, and *Bright Sword* was everywhere. Even the app's icon had the words *Bright Sword* on it. How could he act clueless now? Wasn't that too much?
Mei Xinghe didn't continue the conversation, his brow furrowing deeply.
During the first call with Liang Yin, she hadn't been so certain, saying they needed to discuss it with Big Fei before responding.
But during the second call, she had clearly stated they had already signed an exclusive deal.
So the signing must have happened between those two calls?
Knowing Tianxun Video was eager to partner with them, they still chose SouTu Video. This left Mei Xinghe deeply displeased.
He pulled out his phone and called one of his directors.
"Take *Beginning* down tomorrow."
The show wasn't making much money anyway. Removing it would prevent it from gaining any further traction.
Mei Xinghe then called President Wu to explain the situation.
The outcome was predictable.
How could President Wu possibly return money that had already landed in his pocket?
You were the one who chose to breach the contract, agreed to the penalty terms, and paid the money.
Now you want to back out and get the money back?
Are you trying to make a fool of them?
Mei Xinghe's expression grew increasingly grim.
When he signed the contract, he never imagined that Big Fei and his team would refuse to cooperate.
After all, they had worked together before, and Big Fei had made it clear he wanted to earn money from multiple platforms.
So Mei Xinghe hadn't considered this possibility. He'd decided to breach the contract first, planning to use the breach agreement to negotiate with Big Fei, which he thought would show more sincerity.
But Mei Xinghe had overlooked one crucial fact: it wasn't him who had originally signed Big Fei, but Huang Wei!
Lin Chudong had no emotional attachment to Tianxun Video; all his loyalty was to Huang Wei, who had offered him the most favorable revenue share.
After Huang Wei left, *Beginning* was immediately made free to watch. The loss of membership revenue hit them hard—all thanks to Mei Xinghe. Big Fei naturally harbored no goodwill toward him.
In that case, let *Beginning* be taken down!
***
It was Sunday evening, eight o'clock.
Lin Chudong and Liang Yin sat in front of the television, eagerly awaiting the day's episode.
"Big Fei, is today the episode where they attack Ping'an City?"
The series aired four episodes back-to-back on weekends, conveniently reaching the Ping'an City arc. To keep viewers hooked, they broadcast the entire segment in one go without leaving any cliffhangers.
When Lin Chudong heard the news that *Beginning* had been taken down, he showed little surprise, as if it were expected.
*Since we chose SouTu Video, we were bound to offend them.*
*Besides, *Beginning* wasn't making much money anymore. If it's taken down, so be it.*
***
**Ding Wei:** Even if he's just going to pay his respects, we can't let him get away with it!
**Kong Jie:** This is exhilarating! Exhilarating!
**Chu Yunfei:** No matter who's attacking Ping'an City, the 358th Regiment will stand firm!
**Commander:** It's all chaos! War is raging everywhere, yet our headquarters remains clueless!
The audience watching this episode was immediately fired up.
"Ding Baisheng, Kong Guoyin, Chu Bangchang—these characters are so vividly portrayed! This drama is going to be a masterpiece!"
"So intense! If they've captured his wife, Li Yunlong is going to lose it!"
"Please don't let there be some cliché plot where they threaten Li Yunlong with Xiuqin's life, and he withdraws his troops for love!"
"Given Big Fei's usual style, that's unlikely. I'm not even going to the bathroom until I finish this episode!"
"Forget the damn slideshow! I have to watch this episode to the end!"
"I'm skipping school today. I have to see how this Ping'an City arc plays out."
"It's getting lit!!"
"..."
Liang Yin and the others also became completely engrossed in this thrilling scene.
Liang Yin sat beside Lin Chudong, the drama on the TV completely captivating them.
Even those who had participated in the show's filming were swept up in the climax.
Suddenly, Liang Yin grabbed Lin Chudong's hand and tucked it into her lap, her eyes fixed on the screen.
Lin Chudong felt a little flustered by this sudden embrace.
But looking around, he saw everyone else was equally absorbed in the show.
No one paid any attention to him, not even Liang Yin, who didn't notice that Lin Chudong's hand had landed somewhere it shouldn't have.
***
"Second Battalion Commander! Where the hell are our Italian Cannons? Get them up here now!"
Big Fei, covered in dust and dirt, made his most crucial appearance in the series!
"I want to see if you can even use them! Aim carefully and blow that bastard to hell!"
Just as Li Yunlong was about to give the order, a white flag suddenly rose from the city gate tower. Yamamoto stood beside Xiuqin, holding his sword.
Yamamoto and Li Yunlong began a war of words, feigning negotiations while actually stalling for time.
Seeing this, everyone's hearts tightened.
"Damn it, the melodramatic plot twist has arrived! How are they going to save her?!"
"Why the hell did Yamamoto have to capture Xiuqin?!"
"This is what the real War of Resistance was like. Look at those soldiers' pathetic state—I have to admit the director really paid attention to the details."
"Am I the only one who noticed Big Fei is playing the Second Battalion Commander...?"
"Anxious, anxious! Stop the comments, you're blocking the plot!"
***
"You and I both know this battle could be over in a minute. I, Li Yunlong, would never trade the lives of my soldiers for my wife!"
Xiuqin suddenly struggled, shouting, "Well said, Regimental Commander!"
"One Xiuqin for so many devils—it's worth it!"
"Commander, fire the artillery! Avenge our fallen comrades of the Independent Regiment!"
Monk rushed forward, begging Li Yunlong to let them charge again.
But as Li Yunlong hesitated, Xiuqin, standing atop the city gate tower, suddenly shouted:
"Xiuqin! I'll marry you again in the next life! Fire the guns! Don't make me look down on you!"
Li Yunlong kicked Monk aside and roared,
"Fire!!"
In an instant, the gate tower and Yamamoto were reduced to rubble.
Zhang Dabiao and his men charged forward, while Li Yunlong stood frozen, staring at the scene before him. Unable to suppress his grief, he sank to the ground.
At this moment, Liang Yin and the others already had tears in their eyes.
Everyone was swept up in the drama's emotions. This scene was undoubtedly the most passionate in the entire play, making the audience's hearts ache and their eyes well up.
Even Lin Chudong's hand, placed over Liang Yin's heart, went unnoticed by anyone.
Lin Chudong turned his head and glanced at his own hand, which rested so happily over her heart. He swallowed hard.
He wanted to pull his hand away, but any sudden movement would inevitably draw attention and create an awkward situation.
Liang Yin snapped out of her daze and realized she was holding Lin Chudong's hand, which was nestled over her chest.
*That damn Big Fei! He didn't say anything earlier!*
Their eyes met. Lin Chudong's face flushed crimson, and he tugged his hand back slightly.
Liang Yin quickly glanced around at the people nearby, her face also red, and snapped, "Don't move."
"Turn around!"
Lin Chudong twisted his head away. *You're the one who told me not to move!*
***
"My Xiuqin, aahhh!!! Yamamoto, you bastard!"
"So satisfying! But also so tragic. Rest in peace, Xiuqin!"
"Xiuqin's acting was phenomenal. I'm still heartbroken!"
"Li Yunlong's acting was even more legendary. That single command to fire... it was truly soul-wrenching."
"This is what a real Anti-Japanese War drama should be: prioritizing national righteousness, no dragging, no melodrama. Just that one command to fire is enough for the neighboring show, *True Colors of the Anti-Japanese War*, to learn from for a lifetime."
"Big Fei, I'm sending you razor blades! Why did you let Xiuqin die?!"
"I loved Xiuqin so much. She dared to love and dare to hate. Respect to our ancestors!"
"This episode had too many iconic moments: Ding's Bridge Demolition, Kong Guoyin's moment, Chu Bangchang's intervention, and Li's Artillery Barrage."
"Yamamoto, I'll fuck your ancestors!"
"The turning point of World War II: the Battle of Ping'an City."
"Hey, you're a real genius, you know that?!"
***
Capital City, CCTV-8.
Huang Wei came running into Chen Deming's office, her face flushed with excitement. "Mr. Chen, guess what the ratings are?"
Chen Deming's eyes lit up. "Ten percent?"
"Guess again."
"Ten... twelve percent?"
"Fifteen point nine percent!"
Huang Wei's face broke into a radiant smile, her emotions surging.
Fifteen point nine percent!
This was an unprecedented figure for CCTV!
The number was staggering. After all, this year's *News Broadcast* had only reached a peak of just over nine percent, and the Spring Festival Gala averaged around twenty percent.
Yet, on this unremarkable Sunday, *Sword-Bright* had achieved a terrifying fifteen point nine percent rating.
Although it was only the peak value, it still set a new record.
The market share even reached twenty-nine percent!
An unprecedented, phenomenon-level drama was born!
Even Chen Deming was so excited he slapped his thigh repeatedly. The year's definitive hit had arrived.
He wouldn't dare claim it was the best ever, but it was undoubtedly the first of its kind.
Chen Deming exclaimed, "Excellent! That Big Fei kid is truly talented. Xiao Huang, *Sword-Bright* will undoubtedly be the TV ratings champion this year."
"Well done!"
Huang Wei quickly messaged Lin Chudong, her excitement making her words jumbled.
Those outside the industry could hardly understand her feelings.
From Tianxun Video to CCTV-8, Huang Wei had been working tirelessly under immense pressure every day.
Now, all her efforts were finally paying off in this moment.
She was truly grateful to have met Big Fei and made the bold decision to sign *Beginning*. That bold move had paved the way for today's ratings miracle.
Big Fei was a true genius!
***
CCTV-13.
Zheng Xi sat in his office, his face grim.
*True Colors of the Anti-Japanese War 2* had only managed a viewership rating of 0.2 today—a disastrous result. For a prime-time slot, even a children's cartoon would have performed better.
Li Zhilin's drama was performing so poorly that Zheng Xi knew there must be good news from the neighboring office.
Though he didn't know the exact figures, he could faintly hear cheers. Judging by the online reactions today, the drama's impact had been explosive.
Zheng Xi's expression darkened. He picked up the desk phone and made a call.
"Tomorrow, move the broadcast of *True Colors of the Anti-Japanese War 2* to 5 PM."
At 5 PM, most people were eating dinner, and some would watch TV while they ate.
It had to be better than the prime-time slot. *Sword-Bright* had completely crushed all other shows in its time slot—it was just too over the top.
Zheng Xi had only watched a few episodes. A war drama should have a limited audience. How could it become this popular?
He pulled out his phone, downloaded SouTu Video, subscribed to a membership, and began watching with a furrowed brow.
***
Li Zhilin sat in his office, a cold smile playing on his lips as he heard about the postponement of *True Colors of the Anti-Japanese War 2*.
"They couldn't even bother to notify us about the postponement? How funny."
President Wu said, "This series is a total loss. We probably won't even film the third part. Let's switch to a different genre for the next project."
Li Zhilin nodded. "War dramas really aren't my thing. I'm better suited for modern settings."
He looked more handsome in modern attire, and audiences could connect with those settings more easily. As long as the plot wasn't too terrible, people would watch.
With his large female fanbase, Li Zhilin should leverage this advantage.
President Wu said, "I've got a script here. I'll look it over, and you should take it for your next project. It's a suspense thriller, about ten episodes, and we won't air it on TV this time—it'll be on Tianxun Video."
TV broadcasting, especially with channels like CCTV-8, was a thankless task. Not only did it pay little, but the requirements were also stringent.
Given the dismal ratings for *True Colors of the Anti-Japanese War 2*, there was no point even considering TV for the next project.
We should focus on video platforms instead.
Li Zhilin nodded. He had agreed to film *True Colors of the Anti-Japanese War 2* because the first installment had been successful.
But with the second part's disastrous performance, it was time to change course and focus on racking up views online.
This collaboration with Tianxun Video was quite substantial. After collecting 20 million in breach-of-contract fees, it was a mutually face-saving arrangement.
Their next drama, to be released on Tianxun Video, should be a major hit.
President Wu asked, "I hope Big Fei doesn't clash with us again this time?"
They had already been forced into direct competition with Big Fei twice—first with *Beginning*, and now with *Sword-Bright*. Both had dealt them a significant blow.
While the first clash with *Beginning* might have been a coincidence, the second with *Sword-Bright* was clearly a targeted move.
Li Zhilin clenched his fists and declared,
"Let him clash! As long as the script is good and I'm involved, I refuse to believe we can't beat him this time! I've been wanting to settle this score for ages!"
Li Zhilin had never doubted his own abilities.
The dismal performance of *True Colors of the Anti-Japanese War 2* was primarily due to its weak script, which failed to resonate with the current market.
Moreover, *Sword-Bright* had burst onto the scene with an absolutely brilliant script.
He refused to believe Big Fei could produce another script that was so outstanding.
This time, Li Zhilin was determined to outdo Lin Chudong. A script personally selected by the president would surely crush Big Fei!
Big Fei had better not back down. If he finished his new drama and released it at the same time, isn't that the spirit of *Bright Sword*? Let's see if he's afraid then!
***
SouTu Video.
During the morning meeting, Lu Duoduo announced excitedly, "President Ji, our downloads increased by a hundred million overnight! The viewership for *Sword-Bright* has also surged to seven hundred million!"
Ji Tienan nodded. "It's likely due to yesterday's plot—the Ping'an City arc was very thrilling. We'll be broadcasting that segment tomorrow."
"It's not just that," Lu Duoduo added. "Yang Han has already climbed to third place on the Goddess Ranking, and SouTu Video's exposure has skyrocketed."
Ji Tienan was taken aback, surprised by Yang Han's remarkable success. "What song is Yang Han's? I haven't heard it yet. Play it for everyone."
Lu Duoduo nodded, opened the Golden Phoenix Goddess Ranking, and played the voting page directly.
Everyone pulled out their phones to look at the lyrics.
Aurora
Some recognized the title—it referred to the Roman goddess of dawn and the aurora borealis.
As the song began, the first few lines of unintelligible lyrics played.
Ji Tienan, who wasn't musically inclined, asked, "What language is this?"
"Mongolian! It seems to be about mothers or something. I can only understand a little bit," one of the employees said.
After the first verse, a distinctive intro began.
Yang Han's voice was as recognizable as ever. Though she was singing a fast-paced song this time, her breath control was steady and her tone melodious, captivating listeners from the very first note.
"Mysterious Arctic Circle, the peaks of Alaska,
Whose face appears at the edge of the sea?
In a sudden moment, at that distant place,
I see the radiant glow of lovers' happiness."
"My soul is calling,
Singing ancient, unfamiliar, yet familiar songs.
The sky is smiling,
My world is dazzling and vibrant."
The entire SouTu Video was immersed in the music. Yang Han's transitions between true and false registers sounded incredibly smooth. While the arrangement wasn't particularly ornate, her voice was so captivating that even a cappella would have been soothing.
Even Ji Tienan, who knew nothing about music, nodded in approval.
*As expected of Big Fei's production! This song's got some interesting flair!*
-----------------------
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