I really didn't intend to make a living based on my looks.

Chapter 126 Money, all money!

At 8 p.m. that evening, the first two episodes of "My Love from the Star" were released on Tencent Video and simultaneously aired on four major satellite TV channels: Dragon TV, Zhejiang TV, Anhui TV, and Shandong TV during prime time.

The long-awaited oranges, curious onlookers, and even industry insiders scrutinized the viewer, instantly flooding the playback page.

This time, Tencent Video has come up with a new trick: bullet comments!

This was also Jiang Chen's suggestion.

Previously, platforms like Acfun and Bilibili had already popularized the bullet screen interaction mode, but mainstream long-form video dramas and films almost never have official bullet screens.

Ordinary netizens have long been familiar with anime bullet comments, finding them novel and intriguing, but they have never seen real-time scrolling comments in an official TV series.

"My Love from the Star" was the first domestically produced TV drama to boldly launch official real-time bullet comments.

Before the premiere, the platform heavily promoted the show, highlighting features such as real-time chat, simultaneous viewing and discussion, and nationwide online viewing.

It is precisely because of this novelty that countless netizens specifically waited for the broadcast to start, just to experience the brand-new way of watching TV dramas with bullet comments.

In the first ten minutes after the broadcast started, the number of views steadily increased.

Netizens who had just unlocked the bullet screen feature were bursting with excitement, and the comment section was filled with lively chatter, all of them checking in and sharing their first time trying it out.

"I can't believe it! TV dramas now have bullet comments!"

"Finally, I don't need to secretly take screenshots and complain anymore; we can discuss the show in real time!"

"First to check in! This feature is so cool!"

"Jiang Chen, I'm here! Waiting for my ascension to godhood!"

"Send less of these, they're blocking my brother's hair!"

The screen was filled with the audience's curiosity and excitement about the new way of watching dramas, creating a particularly lively atmosphere.

When Jiang Chen, playing Jiang Jun, stands suspended in mid-air at the harbor, time seems to stand still, and he lifts a little girl who has fallen into the water back to the bow of the ship with one hand, the barrage of comments begins to fill up.

"Holy crap! That entrance was absolutely awesome!"

"The time-stopping effect is so natural!"

"Jiang Chen's period drama look is stunning!"

Jiang Chen travels through four hundred years, with scenes shifting from the misty rain of Jiangnan in the Ming Dynasty to the snowy plains of the northern frontier in the Qing Dynasty, then to the neon lights of Shanghai in the Republic of China, and finally to the skyscrapers of a modern metropolis.

The sunrise at Mount Tai, the sea of ​​clouds at Mount Huang, the landscape of Guilin, and the desert of Dunhuang—every frame is wallpaper-worthy.

The screen was flooded with comments: "This visual style is so cinematic!"

"When did Chinese dramas become so saturated?"

"Jiang Chen's lonely eyes break my heart."

Episode 2, the elevator incident is a famous scene.

The live chat exploded with comments: "Hahaha, this is hilarious!"

"Sister, you've finally met your match!"

"Jiang Chen plays a stoic professor without any sense of incongruity!"

Then, the scene of him crying and pleading while drunk brought the emotions to a climax.

Jing Tian read aloud the comments that were cursing her, crying as she did so.

"Resource-backed actor," "lacking acting skills," "relying on connections"

Each and every one of these is a direct quote from Jing Tian when he was attacked by anti-fans in real life.

Her tearful eyes and the way she struggled to hold back her sobs broke the hearts of countless viewers in front of the screen.

The comments section suddenly shifted: "Why am I suddenly feeling sorry for Jing Tian?"

"These trolls are going too far!"

"Don't cry, sister! Your acting is really good!"

Even some passersby who were originally indifferent to Jing Tian started speaking up for her.

On Weibo, topics such as #MyLoveFromTheStarPremiere#, #JingTianElevatorDeath#, #ProfessorJiang#, and #JingTianDrunkCryingScene# began to rise rapidly in popularity.

A dedicated Douban group was quickly established, and the short review section was flooded with four-star and five-star reviews, with the initial rating soaring to 8.7.

Public opinion was almost unanimously amazed: "Cinematic quality! The Ming Dynasty set design in the port is absolutely stunning!"

"Jiang Chen has found the perfect role for him! The aloof professor is incredibly charming!"

"Jing Tian's performance was completely natural; his crying scenes were so genuine and moving. I'm a fan now!"

"The special effects aren't cheap, they're worth five dollars! The time-stopping effect alone is worth the ticket price!"

"My Love from the Star" achieved phenomenal critical acclaim thanks to its high production quality and poignant, memorable scenes.

Orange fans enthusiastically recommended it, and the first batch of organic recommendations began to spread across various social media platforms, with the number of views steadily moving toward the goal of breaking 100 million on the first day.

May 16th, 10:00 AM.

Major data platforms have successively released their viewership reports for the previous night.

The first to ignite public opinion was Tencent Video.

On the night of its premiere, "My Love from the Star" garnered over 1.2 million views on Tencent Video.

What does that mean?

In the first half of 2013, the series "New Editorial Department Story," exclusively streamed on Tencent Video, only garnered a total of 4.8 million views after its entire run.

It had 100 million views, but only 12 million views on the first day of its premiere.

It was ten times its size —

During an internal data meeting at Tencent Video, the operations director's hands were shaking as he looked at the real-time data curves in the backend.

"The number of people watching online at the same time exceeded 200 million within the first five minutes of the broadcast."

"The first episode ended, and the peak viewership reached 680 million."

"After the second episode aired, the total number of playback requests exceeded 3000 million, and the server almost crashed."

"These numbers—" He took a deep breath, "are even higher than the premiere numbers of 'Empresses in the Palace' on LeTV back then."

Silence fell over the meeting room.

What level of existence is "The Legend of Zhen Huan"?

The phenomenal hit drama of 2011 has maintained its popularity to this day and is hailed by the industry as a masterpiece that appears only once every decade.

"My Love from the Star" approached that level after just two episodes.

Even more shocking than online data are the TV ratings.

Data from CSM's nationwide website.

The premiere on Dragon TV achieved an average viewership rating of 1.89%, with a peak rating of 2.34%.

The premiere on Zhejiang TV achieved an average viewership rating of 1.76%, with a peak rating of 2.18%.

Anhui TV achieved an average viewership rating of 1.62% for its premiere, with a peak rating of 2.05%.

Shandong TV achieved an average viewership rating of 1.58% for its premiere, with a peak rating of 1.98%.

The four channels broadcast the show simultaneously, with an average viewership of 1.71% and all peak ratings exceeding 2%.

What level is this?

In the first half of the year, "Legend of Chu and Han" had an average viewership of 0.9%, "The Qin Empire II" had 0.85%, and Zheng Xiaolong's signature show "New Editorial Department Story" had an average viewership of only 0.69%.

Even "The Patriot Yue Fei," which kicked off the summer season with an all-star cast and CCTV-level promotion, only averaged 1.2% on the four channels during its premiere, with a peak of 1.58%.

"My Love from the Star" shattered that ceiling right from its premiere.

More importantly...

"The Patriot Yue Fei" is a historical drama with a large audience base, and middle-aged and elderly viewers naturally love to watch it.

"Happy Everyday" and "Legend of Chasing Fish" are mythological comedies, bombarded by three major variety shows on Hunan TV, with the platform's resources fully utilized.

What is "My Love from the Star"?

A science fiction romance idol drama.

A type that is generally considered niche in the industry and unlikely to produce a hit product.

A cast that has been questioned by many as Jing Tian's acting skills being insufficient and Jiang Chen's modern drama abilities being lacking.

December 17th, the third day.

Episodes 5 and 6 of "My Love from the Star" have aired.

The story then shifts to the daily life of the male and female leads living together.

Jing Yiren, drunk, barged into Professor Jiang's home, pointed at his nose, and yelled, "Why don't you like me?"

Professor Jiang replied indifferently, "Because you're making noise."

The live chat was filled with comments like, "Hahahaha!"

Professor Jiang: Don't touch me.

Jing Yiren: I cried. Professor Jiang: You're hurting my eyes.

Immediately afterwards, the female lead spent the night at the male lead's house, and the next day, she walked out of the bedroom wearing the male lead's shirt, where she was secretly photographed by reporters.

The hashtag #ProfessorJiangShirt# instantly rose to the top of Weibo's trending topics list.

Jing Tian's white shirt was found on an e-commerce platform, causing the system to crash.

A Taobao store listed a shirt worn by Jing Yiren, originally priced at 89 yuan, for 299 yuan, and it sold out in three hours.

The shop owner quickly restocked, and the stock sold out again within two hours.

The most frequently asked question to customer service is: "Do you have the same style as Professor Jiang?"

Customer service: "Dear customer, the male lead's shirt is a custom-made item; we don't have any."

Customer: "So what do you sell?"

Customer service: "————We sell Jingyiren products."

Customer: "I don't want Jing Yiren's, I want Professor Jiang's! I want to wear Professor Jiang's shirt!"

customer service:"----"

In the climax scene, the male lead uses his superpowers in front of outsiders to save the female lead.

Time stood still. He carried the female protagonist away from the falling chandelier, and the fragments froze in mid-air, like a meteor shower that had been paused.

Then, he looked down at her, and for the first time, his eyes warmed.

"Don't be afraid."

The number of comments reached its peak at this moment.

The screen was filled with "Ahhhhhh" and "I'm dead" for three minutes, almost completely obscuring the entire screen.

On July 18, CSM's national network data was updated.

All four channels broke the 2 mark, with Dragon TV's peak approaching 2.7.

Someone in the industry did the math.

Based on the current viewership curve, the average viewership of this drama is very likely to exceed 2.5%.

Under the policy of "one drama, four channels," it is nothing short of a miracle that a drama can be broadcast simultaneously on four channels to achieve this level.

It's important to understand that broadcasting simultaneously on four channels means that viewers are split up, and the viewership of each channel will naturally be diluted.

What if it's an exclusive broadcast?

I can't even imagine it.

Even more terrifying is the online side.

The total number of views on Tencent Video exceeded 4.5 million in four days.

The total number of bullet comments exceeded 2500 million.

It opened with a Douban rating of 8.7, which rose to 8.9 four days later.

The hashtag #MyLoveFromTheStar# has surpassed 15 billion views.

The hashtag #ProfessorJiang# has garnered 8 million views.

The hashtag #JingTianActingSkills# has garnered 5 million views.

Everyone had reached a consensus.

A phenomenal bestseller has arrived.

It's not a possibility, it's not a hope.

Yes, they have already arrived.

It swept through the entire summer of 2013 with overwhelming force.

But everyone knows it!

This is just the beginning.

Wanda Film & Television Headquarters Conference Room.

A small high-level meeting is underway.

There weren't many attendees: Song Ge, president of Wanda Pictures; Sun Zhonghuai from Tencent Video; Chen Zhixi; Xu Yinuo; and Jiang Chen.

Five people sat at one end of a long table, with a projection screen displaying backend data charts and price inquiries from television stations across the country.

Brother Song leaned back in his chair, a smile playing on his lips: "So far, thirteen TV stations have submitted bids in the second round of inquiries. The highest bid is 1.2 million yuan per episode. Several more are in the queue, waiting for our quotes."

"For overseas distribution, platforms in Japan, South Korea, and several Southeast Asian countries have inquired about prices. KBS and SBS in South Korea are in contact, and Fuji TV and TBS in Japan are also interested. CTV and TTV in Taiwan have already submitted their offers, and the two are vying for the rights. TVB and NowTV in Hong Kong are also in talks."

The group exchanged glances and saw the same thing in each other's eyes.

money.

Money pouring in.

The meeting lasted another hour, discussing the scheduling strategy for the second round of broadcasts and the specific regional divisions for overseas distribution.

And the licensing of derivative product development.

When the meeting ended, Brother Song stood up and patted Jiang Chen on the shoulder.

"Teacher Jiang, you did a great job with this drama."

Jiang Chen smiled and said, "It was something we all did together."

Brother Song didn't say anything more, but everyone understood the meaning in his eyes.

This person will be a long-term partner for the Wanda Group.

Stepping out of the conference room, only Jiang Chen and Chen Zhixi remained in the corridor.

Chen Zhixi suddenly stopped and turned to look at him.

"You know, when you first came to me with the script, I hesitated."

"I know."

"I never imagined things would come to this."

Jiang Chen leaned against the wall and thought for a moment: "I didn't expect this either. But now that we've come this far, we can't stop."

Chen Zhixi chuckled upon hearing this, then suddenly changed the subject: "By the way, you know Chen Sicheng too, right?"

Jiang Chen nodded: "Yes, I sang a theme song for him on a TV series before, so we've had some dealings."

"He's been planning a new movie lately and wants me to be the producer. He's currently talking to Wanda Group about investment."

"We're all in agreement. The male lead wants to see you. Are you interested?"

Jiang Chen was taken aback; this must be Detective Chinatown.

Then his role is more than just a performance!

"Since Xixi has spoken, how can I refuse?"

Chen Zhixi raised her hand and gently patted his arm, scolding him, "You always like to joke around like that, you have no manners."

She suddenly took a half-step forward, a mischievous smile hidden in her eyes: "By the way, after the wrap party last time, did you have a good time that night?"

happy?"

"What do you mean?"

"Stop pretending with me. Didn't Mao Mao take you back to your room that day? Didn't something happen between you two?"

Jiang Chen froze instantly.

So, the tooth mark next to yours was made by Mao Mao?

You little brat!

She looks like a sweet girl, but how could she be so ruthless with her bites?

As for the scapegoat who was cleaning the toilets, he couldn't remember him at all.

Qipan Street, Lixia District, Jinan.

The rain in July comes suddenly, without any warning.

Old Zhao was awakened by the sound of rain pattering down. He opened his eyes and glanced at his phone; it was five in the morning.

He turned over, listened to the sound of rain hitting the air conditioner unit outside the window, and sighed.

He runs a barbecue skewer shop, and his biggest fear is bad weather.

No one comes out to eat skewers on rainy days, so the meat we prepare can't be sold, and it won't be fresh if we put it in the freezer overnight.

He muttered something and got out of bed.

The wife was still asleep, while the son lay sprawled on his small bed, the blanket kicked to the floor.

He picked up the blanket and haphazardly covered the child with it, then tiptoed to the bathroom to wash his face.

In July, Jinan is hot and humid, and even when it rains, it doesn't cool down; instead, it feels like a steamer.

He walked out onto the balcony in his slippers, looked at the rain outside, and thought that he would prepare less stock today, just enough to sell, and even if he didn't sell it all, he wouldn't lose too much.

Around six o'clock, my wife woke up and started making breakfast for our son.

Old Zhao rode his electric bike to the store, his raincoat flapping loudly in the wind, rainwater streaming down from the brim.

His shop is located next to the Qipan Street residential area. It's small, with six tables and a grill set up at the entrance.

The signboard has been up for several years, and one of the four characters "Lao Zhao Barbecue" has fallen off.

Someone passing by asked, "What is Lao Zhao's barbecue?" He was too lazy to explain and just said it was barbecue skewers.

Shandong barbecue has traditionally been divided into three major schools in the country, each with its own unique style and influence.

The inland barbecue style, represented by Jinan, is the undisputed king of barbecue in the north.

Qingdao leads the way in coastal-style barbecue, specializing in fresh seafood.

There's also the Linyi barbecue style from southern Shandong, which is known for its hearty and substantial portions with a strong flavor.

Jinan doesn't rely on seafood to make a name for itself; it stands out entirely with mutton. The most exquisite skill of old Jinan barbecue is white-cut mutton.

Fresh lamb is slaughtered, cut, skewered, and grilled on the same day, without marinating or freezing. It is grilled without any fancy sauces, and only sprinkled with coarse salt and a little cumin to bring out the natural freshness and flavor of the lamb.

Old Zhao has been running his shop for many years and has always adhered to this old rule.

Unfortunately, business has been slow lately.

He pulled open the roller shutter door, tidied up the room, and began skewering the food.

This job is tedious, and it's easy to get sleepy if you do it alone, so he props his phone up on the table and watches a TV series.

Not long after, his wife came over after dropping off the child, carrying soy milk and fried dough sticks.

Have you eaten?

"No, let's make a few skewers first."

The daughter-in-law sat down beside him, put on gloves, and began to help.

The two of them sat quietly, one skewering the meat and the other brushing on the sauce.

The woman who sells braised pork next door pushed open the door and came in, holding an umbrella in her hand.

"Hey, sister-in-law, did you watch that show last night?"

"Which one?" The daughter-in-law looked up.

"It's that alien drama, 'My Love from the Star'! Oh my god, it cracked me up. The scene where the female celebrity had appendicitis and farted in the hospital almost made me throw the remote control."

"I saw it, isn't that woman named Jing Tian? She acted quite well. People used to say her acting was bad, but this time it looked quite natural."

As the group was chatting animatedly, the door was suddenly flung open, and several young girls squeezed in.

The girl in the lead had wet hair, her bangs plastered to her forehead, and she was carrying a transparent umbrella that was still dripping water.

Two companions followed behind him; one was patting the water droplets off his clothes, while the other stomped his foot, splashing water all over the ground.

"Boss, do you have any grilled skewers?"

Old Zhao paused for a moment, looked at the rain still pouring down outside, and then at the few young girls in front of him.

"Are you eating now?"