Chapter 1941: Getting on Track

"Wulin" became a hit!

The young actors who participated in the show became famous.

No one had expected such an outcome.

Even the person in charge at CCTV was dumbfounded.

How did this inexplicable TV series become so popular?

With heated reviews in the media and adoration online, it seemed overnight that the show had become a hot topic.

In fact, even Ye Jing himself didn't understand.

It caught him off guard.

But fortunately, Zhao Fusheng had reminded him, and Future Films quickly implemented a promotional strategy, arranging for the lead actors to start a roadshow campaign, promoting in various cities and visiting major universities.

"Seriously, how did this show become so popular?"

Fan Baobao also didn't understand, and since she and Zhao Fusheng were vacationing at the villa, she pulled him aside to ask.

Zhao Fusheng smiled: "Because the audience saw themselves in the show."

"Themselves?"

Fan Baobao frowned slightly, clearly not understanding what Zhao Fusheng meant.

Zhao Fusheng chuckled softly: "Take those thirty-somethings, young people like us who have settled down. When they first graduated, everyone was like Guo Furong, vowing to become a chivalrous hero and achieve great things."

"But what happened later?"

"Later, we all went out into the world, and you know the rest of the story."

Fan Baobao laughed, but gradually, her smile faded.

She knew Guo Furong's story, of course.

In her quest to right wrongs, she caused all sorts of trouble.

For example, when she went to Zuo Family Village to dispense justice, she rescued a bride who was crying sadly before her wedding. But in reality, the bride, though a bit ugly, was a very good person. She was so moved to tears when she finally got married. Then Guo Furong beat up the groom, shouting 'carrying out the will of heaven' as she did. The groom never showed up again, and the girl cried until she nearly went blind..."

Fan Baobao was silent for a long time.

She realized there was something profound in what Zhao Fusheng had said.

"Can I write what you said in my blog?"

Fan Baobao asked Zhao Fusheng after a moment's thought.

Zhao Fusheng smiled: "Sure, no problem."

Since the charity relief performance aired, Fan Baobao had gained many followers on her blog. After all, a woman with looks and money always attracts attention.

The next day, Fan Baobao posted on her blog what she had heard from Zhao Fusheng, along with her own reflections.

"The Truth of Adult Life: Why Is 'My Own Swordsman' So Popular?"

"At first, watching Guo Furong dispense justice made me laugh uncontrollably, but after laughing, I couldn't help feeling a pang of sadness. We were all once the reckless Guo Furong, thinking we could conquer heaven and earth, believing we saw the whole picture."

"But the world turned out to be very different from what Guo Furong imagined, and the reality we thought we knew was far from the actual truth."

"Yet after going through those years of 'not knowing the immensity of heaven and earth' and 'believing justice lies in people's hearts,' we came to understand: the world isn't about fighting and killing; it's about human relationships and common sense. Only by doing things steadily can one become a true chivalrous hero."

"Even the phrase 'making a name in the world' seems a bit pretentious, because wherever there are people, there is the world."

"Scholar Lü's proudest achievement was: at three, I knew a thousand characters; at five, I could recite Tang poems; at seven, I was well-versed in the Four Books and Five Classics; at eight, I mastered poetry and prose."

"When he was too immersed in these glories, Li Dazui would say: 'At twenty-five, you're so poor you can't even fill your stomach.'"

"Bai Zhantang would then add: 'You even sold your ancestral property to the innkeeper to open this inn.'"

"Though he was furious, he couldn't refute a word, because what they said was true."

"He tried to resist, but he just couldn't pass the imperial exam."

"He even thought of ending his life, feeling he had disgraced his ancestors."

"But once, when things got out of hand and he wanted to jump into a well, Bai Zhantang said seriously:"

"'Among so many scholars, how many can pass the exam?'"

"Seeing his stubbornness, I suddenly felt a bit envious."

"His inner pride hadn't been worn down yet; he still thought he was a genius."

"But growing up is probably about finally realizing the huge gap between 'the you you think you are' and 'the real you.' After graduation, the one who does best in the class is never the one with the best grades."

"That's probably the first lesson the cruel society teaches top students."

"Much later, the scholar suddenly said:"

"'My future can be described as very, extremely, and particularly bleak.'"

"Reading this, I thought: 'You finally have some self-awareness.'"

"But then, after thinking about it, my eyes suddenly welled up."

"Once, we all thought we were heroes, but in the end, we found that just being an ordinary person is exhausting enough."

"Time is too short, nostalgia too strong."

"We look back not to remember a certain memory itself, but to gain some motivation to move forward from the act of remembrance."

"When we were young, eating popsicles, lying on the rooftop, listening to the radio and watching the stars—those days were certainly innocent and beautiful."

"But now, in office buildings, working tirelessly day and night, quietly sketching out the future, is not entirely meaningless."

"Years later, you might want to say 'thank you' to your current self."

"Thank you to the self that works hard at life."

"Thank you to every character that gave me strength."

"Maybe it's Innkeeper Tong, maybe Harry Potter, or maybe the heartthrob of Shanghai Beach."

"Looking back is not to start over."

"Because we are still in our prime..."

As soon as this blog post was published, it sparked a wave of sharing online.

No one expected that Fan Baobao, or rather Zhao Fusheng, would say such things.

People need resonance, especially those who work hard. This blog post undoubtedly ignited that emotion. For a time, discussions about Fan Baobao's blog post reached a peak online.

...

...

"Did you foresee this?"

Ye Jing looked at Zhao Fusheng, puzzled. "So you had your wife post that blog?"

Zhao Fusheng shook his head: "You're overthinking it."

He was telling the truth; it was just his own reflection, mixed with thoughts from his past and present lives. He hadn't expected Fan Baobao's blog to get so much attention.

Could it be that the title of 'Queen of Microblogging' would also fall on her?

"CCTV has contacted me, hoping we'll sell them the broadcast rights for the second season as soon as possible," Ye Jing said with a smile. "This time, they're offering a high price."

"Is that so?"

Zhao Fusheng smiled: "What do you think?"

"Let's wait a bit longer."

Ye Jing said seriously: "Some local satellite TV stations have contacted me; I think they're also interested in the broadcast rights."

Clearly, he meant to sell to the highest bidder.

Although CCTV still had influence, local stations were rising. Hunan and Dolphin TV were developing rapidly and posing a challenge to CCTV.

"No need."

Zhao Fusheng shook his head: "If CCTV's price is reasonable, sell them the first-run broadcast rights."

"Huh?"

Ye Jing was taken aback, looking at Zhao Fusheng in surprise.

He really hadn't expected that Zhao Fusheng would oppose his suggestion.

He had thought Zhao Fusheng would agree.

"CCTV is still CCTV; the influence of local stations is limited."

Zhao Fusheng said calmly: "Besides, it's just a TV series. We need to look further ahead."

"You mean to use this show to create more things?" Ye Jing thought for a moment and asked Zhao Fusheng.

Zhao Fusheng nodded: "Yes, the show itself is just to expand influence. The real profit lies in the show's merchandise and the derivatives it can generate."

That was what he truly valued.

China needed big IPs like the Marvel Universe. Unearthing the charm of Eastern culture required a process.

"So that's why you had Wu Sijie build that film studio?"

Ye Jing suddenly understood and asked Zhao Fusheng.

He finally got it: Zhao Fusheng had long prepared a strategy.

Planning ahead—that was genuine planning ahead.

"The film studio is just the first step," Zhao Fusheng smiled. "Not just for 'Wulin,' but for other projects too. You'll understand later."

Ye Jing nodded; he had no objection. He also wanted Future Films to get better and better.

"Old Jiang keeps insisting on going back to shoot. What should we do?"

Ye Jing remembered another matter and asked Zhao Fusheng.

"Go back?"

Zhao Fusheng frowned: "Are there still aftershocks there?"

"I think it's fine now," Ye Jing thought for a moment and said. "The crew can't stay idle forever. We have to move on with life."

"Alright," Zhao Fusheng nodded. "If so, then go back. But make sure to implement safety measures and buy insurance for everyone in the crew. Also, try not to shoot at night for safety reasons."

"I know, don't worry," Ye Jing promised.

After a moment's hesitation, Zhao Fusheng added: "Also, call Fa Ge and Ge Ye personally. If they feel unsafe, don't force them, understand?"

After all, those two leads were A-list actors; they deserved respect.

Although the contract required them to return to the set, Zhao Fusheng didn't want to ruin the hard-earned reputation.

Reputation and trust are hard to build but very easy to destroy.

And the most可怕 thing is that once a company's reputation and trust are ruined, it's not easy to stand up again.

Many long-established brands have collapsed because they lost their reputation and trust.

Zhao Fusheng would never engage in such a losing business.