"Shu Nu" has premiered.
For the female lead, who was still quite new in the professional arena, Xia Weiliang's drama premiered remarkably fast.
From post-production to approval, Shang Rongrong had been working tirelessly. After approval, Ye Shi immediately scheduled it for broadcast, securing a prime weekend slot.
Eight episodes were aired consecutively that night, completely igniting the viewership ratings!
Thanks to the solid script and brisk pacing, the male and female leads' second collaboration, their chemistry was off the charts, and their acting was not subpar. The drama, barely released, had already sparked widespread discussion! Su Dan Novel Network
Especially Xia Weiliang. Many had doubted her before, as her previous reputation as a mere "pretty face" was well-earned. She was a prime example of beauty compensating for a lack of acting skills.
But this drama was different. Everyone clearly saw her improvement, particularly in her interactions with Su Yuxi. Her subtle expressions were perfectly captured, and her emotional processing was delicate.
In short, they finally saw the word "acting" in her performance.
Everyone was shocked, flooding the comments section with questions: [Is this really Niang Niang? Was her face swapped by AI?]
[Oh my god, I actually got into it! Niang Niang actually showed me she has acting skills?!]
[The person who said she has acting skills, be careful, they might silence you!]
Although the Liang fans were happy, adhering to their usual principle of "if you don't attack me, I'll attack first," they first released a wave of pre-prepared reaction memes, mocking her previous historical drama.
Then, they prepared a comparison of cuts from the new and old dramas and released them. In comparison, the difference in acting skill was stark. Her room for improvement wasn't just a small apartment; it was a two-story duplex!
For every compliment, there was criticism. The next day, several official accounts led the charge with articles criticizing her, spewing phrases like "Another episode of blank stares," "Is this worthy of praise?!" and "The teammate Su Yuxi can't carry."
Netizens who hadn't watched yet, not understanding the situation, joined in the mockery.
The platform contacted the production company to ask if they needed a PR response. Shang Rongrong remained calm, "Let's wait a bit longer."
This was because she had confidence in the drama and in Xia Weiliang!
As expected, with two new episodes released daily, "Shu Nu" reached a poignant point, pushing the plot to its first climax. The discussion exploded, with trending topics all revolving around "Shu Nu"!
The biggest difference from the premiere was that back then, the discussions were all related to "Xia Weiliang." However, afterwards, they shifted to the plot, and even supporting characters gained their own trending topics. This was the achievement after just one week of airing, a guaranteed hit!
During this period, the male and female leads were constantly seen together, creating buzz both online and offline. Their "sweetness level" was dangerously high, attracting a large following of CP fans across all age groups, who clamored for them to get together! They were so well-matched, why weren't they married? It was a waste of resources!
"Wuwuwu... Xuanzhu is too pitiful. She's so good, yet she's being misunderstood... Wuwuwu, why hasn't the male lead come to save her yet?"
Da Yang was truly invested in this historical romance. If not for professional ethics, he would have already become a devoted fan of the new CP, "Zhu Yu"!
Yan Zhi occasionally glanced over, "I'm just saying, you're watching a TV show, do you really need to cry like this?"
"What do you guys understand, you bunch of crude men?"
Da Yang pulled out a tissue and blew his nose forcefully. "This kind of sadness is buried deep inside, unlike those grand emotional outbursts. Niang Niang's handling of the subtle details here is excellent, truly heartfelt. It's enough to make anyone weep..."
"Tch, does it really sound that magical when you praise it like that?"
Yan Zhi, not convinced, sat down to watch with him.
A moment later, Yan Zhi's eyes also turned red. Da Yang silently offered him a tissue, "Wipe your eyes."
When Xiao Yi and Lian Jun pushed open the door, the two looked up, their eyes glistening as they stared at them.
"Whoa, what's wrong? Something unhappy happen? Tell big brother quickly, let me have a laugh too." Lian Jun glanced over and understood everything.
"Heh, Niang Niang is truly popular this time! The crying scenes from the two episodes updated last night were silent but spoke volumes. Calling it textbook level might be an exaggeration, but she truly cried her way into the audience's hearts. The internet is flooded with praise for her crying scenes; the impact is immense!"
"Mhm, mhm, mhm!"
Yan Zhi and Da Yang nodded repeatedly. "Niang Niang's acting is so natural! It feels like she's not acting at all, just being herself!"
Xiao Yi poured a glass of water and sat on the sofa, taking a sip.
He offered no comment.
Lian Jun raised an eyebrow. His health had truly improved recently; he could wander around without an oxygen tank. Not only that, but he even dared to provoke others!
He sat down opposite with a smile, his slender eyes blinking. "Haven't you watched the drama Niang Niang is in?"
Xiao Yi glanced at him. "No."
"Heh, really haven't watched?"
Xiao Yi raised an eyebrow. "Are you that free lately that you've started following dramas?"
"Oh, Fourth Master, don't say that. I'm not following dramas; I'm clearly gathering intelligence! Later, we should also produce a historical romance. We can't let Mei Yu make all the money, can we? Heh, I can already imagine Old Jiang sitting in his office, watching videos alone and chuckling foolishly!"
Xiao Yi didn't want to deal with him.
Yan Zhi and Da Yang both looked over. Based on their understanding of Brother Jun, once he entered his invincible little brat mode, it wouldn't stop there!
As expected, Lian Jun lived up to their expectations!
"Hey, do you know how many CP fans Niang Niang and Su Yuxi have right now? Their momentum is huge!"
Yan Zhi and Da Yang's eyes widened. Here it comes, he's arrived with his mischievous aura!
Xiao Yi slowly put down his cup and looked up at him. "Oh? Tell me about it."
"Heh, let me tell you, I've been undercover in the fan groups! Oh right, Niang Niang and Su Yuxi's current CP fans are called the 'Zhu Yu' CP. There are also some who were previously the 'Su Da' CP! They have a common enemy, you'll never guess who? Haha..."
Lian Jun laughed with great allure. "In the group, you can't even mention this person's name!"
Xiao Yi's eyebrows twitched a few times, and he chuckled, "Could it be me, by any chance."
"Haha... Little Yi Yi, you guessed right! It's you!"
"..."
Yan Zhi and Da Yang quietly got up and retreated to the side to watch their drama in peace.
"Heh..."
Xiao Yi lowered his gaze. "Just a fake CP. I don't understand what's so great about them."
The people present understood the unspoken implication: there's a real one here that they aren't shipping!
"Don't blame them. It's just that these two have too much chemistry as a CP. It's their second collaboration, plus Director Liu is so good at filming romantic scenes, and he nails all the subtle details... Oh my, even I, a grown man, felt my heart flutter, let alone the fans?"
As he was about to continue, the man opposite him suddenly stood up.
Lian Jun blinked his eyes. "What are you doing?"
"Nothing, just going out for a walk."
Just as he was about to leave, Lian Jun grabbed him. "Don't move! Shang Rongrong and Ji Huan have both contacted me, asking me to keep an eye on you. Don't suddenly pop out when their CP is just getting popular. Just quietly reduce your presence! Don't try to leech off Niang Niang's popularity~"
Xiao Yi: "..."