Chapter 197: The Premiere of

"Crazy Stone" is a comedy, but it wraps a tragic core.

And the central figure of this tragedy is Bao Ge, the guardian of the gem.

A few sentences about criminal psychology and crime scene evidence earned points.

It perfectly embodied a police officer's professional competence, but unfortunately, he was only a security captain.

The vast gap between ability and reality makes one lament the capriciousness of this world...

"Crazy Stone" was a box office miracle.

Many in the industry said so, besides its unusually high quality.

Cheng Chen's marketing played a huge role in this era when the internet was just emerging.

Cheng Chen truly let them see marketing strategies from the future.

For example:

I met a girl on Weibo, and every day I was the one who reached out to her.

Then, before sleeping every night, she would always say goodnight to me.

In real life, I'm a quiet, straightforward guy, and my interpersonal relationships are fine.

I'm the type who gets along well with people around me but doesn't know much with staff from other departments.

Our company hired a new receptionist, not beautiful but especially cute, and very humble.

Every day when I arrived at work, she was already sitting at the front desk, smiling at me.

To be honest, I'd been single for twenty-five years, and this was the first time a girl smiled at me so sweetly.

I started wondering if she secretly liked me, until one day I accidentally discovered she also used Weibo.

So I noted down her Weibo ID, then messaged her online, and gradually we became close friends who talked about everything.

Every night before sleeping, she sent me goodnight, and I did the same.

Until one day, I discovered her secret...

That day, she had just come out of the bathroom, her face flushed, and she happened to meet me.

Although we talked freely on Weibo, in real life we hardly spoke at all.

I was worried about her condition and was about to ask if she felt unwell, when I realized the boss had also just come out of the bathroom...

Although I had no romantic experience, this situation immediately reminded me of my teachers' lessons from Japan.

My heart sank to the bottom; I was heartbroken... How could she do this?

But I didn't expose them; I still chatted enthusiastically with her on Weibo every night.

Yet, the more we chatted, the more I suffered—those events kept flashing before my eyes like a carousel!

I was truly miserable; nothing could lift my spirits, and I was generally gloomy.

I wanted to change this situation; I wanted to find some fun...

So here's the question: I heard "Crazy Stone" is really funny—anyone want to watch it together?"

"Holy shit, I was just watching it with great enjoyment! Are you crazy, blogger?"

"This twist... honestly, I really want to know the story between the receptionist and the boss!"

"Uh... is 'Crazy Stone' really that good? I'm thinking of watching it this weekend."

"Someone who's been there tells you: this kind of thing can only be dulled by time.

No TV drama or comedy movie can fix it.

Don't confront your boss—that will only hurt you."

"Damn, catch this honest guy upstairs..."

Of course, this soft article was written by Cheng Chen; the writing wasn't great, but it was understandable.

This little story spread widely online, and at the same time, it branched into countless versions.

Like: My secret story with my female boss, my story with my neighbor auntie.

I discovered the school beauty's secret and forced her to watch "Crazy Stone" with me, and so on.

In short, memes work like this: you just need to start the trend, and the rest is left to the all-powerful netizens!

Cheng Chen had no interest in lingering on this; besides his usual promotion tours for "Crazy Stone,"

he had a large batch of endorsement ads to shoot, and meanwhile, "Xianjian Qixia Zhuan Yi" was about to premiere.

"Xianjian Yi" premiered on three satellite channels.

Extensive promotional efforts had already been made; from a publicity standpoint, the results were quite good.

Riding on Cheng Chen's popularity from the Spring Festival Gala and his movie, "Xianjian" had sufficient exposure!

"I want to watch 'Xianjian Yi'! Quickly switch to Anhui Satellite TV!"

Jiang Li was a second-year middle school student; second-year students were supposed to attend evening self-study.

But attending evening self-study required academic approval, since dormitory spots were limited.

Jiang Li, whose grades weren't good, naturally got filtered out and became a day student.

"What are you watching 'Xianjian Yi' for? Watch Grandma's favorite folk tunes!"

Mom snatched the remote from Jiang Li and said impatiently.

Jiang Li feared her mother the most at home, so she leaned on the sofa and pouted to her grandmother:

"No, Grandma, I really want to watch 'Xianjian Yi,' okay?

The lead actor is from our Hui Sheng—shouldn't we support our fellow townsman?"

Grandma's hair was white, her face kind and gentle; she smiled and said:

"Let Li Li watch it; she's our only precious girl, and someday she'll be your warm little cotton-padded jacket."

Jiang Li giggled, hugged her grandmother's neck, and switched the TV to Anhui Satellite TV.

The body that had slept for a thousand years awoke from rotting branches and dead leaves.

It was the mournful sigh of the nightingale that broke the spell.

The forgotten sword, sealed by whom, followed the sound of the flute and the hooves of horses.

To find you, the most glorious sacrifice is the hero's destiny…

Accompanied by a haunting theme song and a visually stunning opening sequence, it immediately captured viewers' attention the moment it began.

The melody of the theme song "Sha Po Lang" is extremely catchy.

It is performed by the Wan Sheng group JS.

This group has many high-quality songs, such as their albums "This Is Love" and "Hear It."

In 2004, they signed with Wan Sheng Huayan International Music Co., Ltd., and debuted under the name "JS."

In the same year, in August, they released their second album, "Meeting the Future."

It includes twelve songs, among them "Sha Po Lang" and "Sophia's Wish."

Both the musical rhythm and lyrics suit the overall tone of "Xianjian Qixia Zhuan."

So Cheng Chen suggested that Tang Ren should acquire the film and television rights to this song.

"It's starting! It's starting, Cheng Chen is so handsome!"

Jiang Li gripped the remote tightly, excited; since the drama's official announcement, she had been following it closely.

After waiting so long, she finally saw it on TV!

Watching Jiang Li's excitement and her grandmother's smiling face, her mother shook her head and said:

"Mom, you spoil her too much—look at her grades…"

The grandmother chuckled and said:

"Bad grades don't matter. When she was in junior high, her father was a real troublemaker—he caused trouble every few days.

I had to go to school almost every week to meet the teachers. But what happened? He still got into university…

So don't just look at the present. Li Li is smart; she'll definitely get into university too!"

Hearing this, the mother helplessly rubbed her forehead:

"This girl can't compare to her father… Sigh."

…

Watching you slowly leave.

Fate, like a tide, drowns me—I can't breathe.

Floating in the black sea, how do I learn to live without your future…

"Aww, why did this part end already? Why do they only show two episodes a day? I want to see what happens next!"

At ten p. m., though complaining about the short episodes, Jiang Li still listened to the ending theme "Finally Understand" in full.

This song was specially composed by Power Station for "Xianjian Qixia Zhuan."

In fact, the entire original soundtrack of "Xianjian Qixia Zhuan," from music production to album packaging, was tailor-made for the characters and story of the drama.

The soundtrack also featured performances by many outstanding singers.

Power Station's ending theme "Finally Understand" brilliantly captured the essence of the drama.

When people heard the final version, they all thought it was incredibly beautiful, perfectly paired with the drama's love story.

It completely immersed listeners in the music and the drama.

"Even the songs are this good—this drama is really great! I love Cheng Chen and Liu Tianxian so much!"

"Oh no, what do I do? The class monitor asked me to copy the lyrics for her, darn it!"

Jiang Li is a day student, while the class monitor Han Feifei is a boarder; both like Cheng Chen and are eagerly awaiting "Xianjian 1."

But unfortunately, Han Feifei has classes and can't watch the drama, so she asked her good friend Jiang Li to memorize the lyrics for her.

Just as Jiang Li was at a loss, she suddenly glanced toward her parents' room.

Their room has a computer—she could look up the lyrics online and copy them for the class monitor?

But… her parents never allowed her to touch the computer.

"Mom… Mom!"

"Huh? What's wrong?"

The mother turned her gaze from the TV and looked at her daughter.

Could her mother also be hooked on this drama?

That would make things easier!

Jiang Li secretly rejoiced, but on the surface, she tugged at her mother's sleeve and pleaded:

"Mom, wasn't that song just beautiful? I want to copy the lyrics—can I use our computer…?"

"No, don't even think about it! You're not allowed to touch the computer until you're in high school! When will you ever apply yourself to studying like this?!"

The mother immediately refused.

"Oh come on, Mom, it's not for me—it's for our class monitor… you know, the top student in our grade.

Han Feifei—you told me to learn from her! She wants the lyrics!"

Hearing this, the mother looked at her skeptically.

"That top student Han Feifei watches this kind of lovey-dovey drama? And likes singing? Don't lie to me!"

Hearing her mother's words, Jiang Li thought inwardly: What do you mean "this kind of lovey-dovey drama"? Didn't you just get completely absorbed in it?

Thinking of this, Jiang Li's eyes darted and she said:

"She doesn't watch the drama, but she loves listening to songs. She says music helps relax the mind and improves… oh right, school efficiency!"

"She said that?"

"Mm-hmm."

Jiang Li nodded her head like a chick pecking rice.

"Mm… alright then, but I'm standing right here watching you! Go to sleep right after you copy the lyrics!"

"Okay!"

Jiang Li immediately promised.

The broadcast of "Immortal Sword I" kept many people glued to their televisions; the schedule of two episodes per day was normal.

But it left everyone itching to know what happened next.

Online, it sparked heated discussions.

"To be honest, Cheng Chen's ancient costume look has always been among the best in the country—he's extremely handsome."

"Although he's still playing the timid small-town youth, the martial hero in the opening scene looks incredibly dashing—I'm looking forward to it!"

"What is this plot? It's not just different from the game—it's completely unrelated!"

"People who haven't played the game can watch it fine, but those who have… might as well just treat it as a TV drama."

"Zhao Ling'er is so cute! Liu Tianxian's recent roles really suit her personal image—I'm looking forward to the next episodes!"

Online discussions about "Immortal Sword I" were growing, and so far, the reviews were mostly positive.

This stood in sharp contrast to the wave of criticism when it first started filming.

After turning off his computer, Cheng Chen's phone suddenly rang.

"Hello, Xixi, still awake?"

"Cheng Chen brother, I can't sleep. What do you think our drama's ratings will be like?"

Liu Tianxian's soft, sweet voice came through the receiver.

"Mm… probably pretty good. I just checked online—the keyword for 'Immortal Sword I' premiere has already topped the trending list."

"The comments are mostly positive, expressing anticipation for the next episodes. Don't worry—the exact ratings won't be out until tomorrow."

China's TV ratings primarily rely on traditional sampling surveys.

Usually, one household represents ten thousand households; for example, in a city of three million people, three hundred sample households would be selected.

Of course, there could be more—the more households, the more accurate the data, but the higher the cost.

Each sample household, including equipment and basic subsidies, costs about five thousand yuan.

Currently, there are two survey companies in the country: CCTV-CSM and Nielsen.

Ratings data are released through these two companies, and only then can the public access the specific ratings.

Ratings are extremely important for TV stations and dramas.

But their statistical methods have many drawbacks and can never be one hundred percent accurate.

Based on audience numbers and proportions, TV ratings serve as the standard for measuring a program's popularity.

Every country has different statistical methods and agencies…

"Alright, I understand."

"Don't think too much. Go to sleep—you have filming tomorrow."

Cheng Chen comforted her.

"Okay, Cheng Chen brother, goodnight. You must tell me the ratings as soon as they come out!"

"Got it. Sleep well. Goodnight."

After hanging up Liu Tianxian's call, Cheng Chen let out a long breath.

In truth, he wasn't sure either—"Immortal Sword I"'s quality was obvious, but unfortunately, this year had too many great dramas!

Like Zhao Fantian and Pan Yueming's "Beijing Smoke and Clouds."

Adapted from Lin Yutang's novel, this love story between a delicate young man and an independent heroine attracted countless viewers.

"Bright Sword" doesn't even need mentioning—it's a masterpiece.

Even in the future, it's still rebroadcast every year and remains wildly active online, even inspiring countless memes!

As for Chen Baoguo's "Emperor Wu of Han," that's even more of a given.

And "The Mute Bride"—based on current trends, most people love this kind of tragic drama.

Although this drama is tragic, its plot is undeniably tightly paced.

Almost every shot serves a purpose—none are empty or useless!

The lyrics of the theme song, "Burn, burn, burn, with my life I burn," became the childhood memory of many, the very soul of the FFFF party!

By the way, this year there's also a drama starring Cheng Chen—"Little Fish and Flower."