Liu Neng stared into Jing Yu's eyes, momentarily stunned.
He suddenly understood what Jing Yu meant.
It was like playing rock-paper-scissors—or studying, or working. The outcome might vary, but if you don't believe you can win, if you don't believe you can be the final victor, then you've already lost.
At this crucial moment, Chu You had chosen to lie flat and give up. Even if 'Your Lie in April's ratings later exceeded expectations, in Jing Yu's eyes, Chu You would still be a loser.
"Yeah!" Liu Neng let out a short laugh.
"I should apologize. Honestly, deep down, I never thought it was really possible... but if—if it actually does happen…"
"If the show surpasses Dangerous Lovers and averages more than a 2% viewership rating, right? If that really happens, then I'll… I'll wear women's clothes to work at the station for a day as punishment." Liu Neng looked up at the ceiling.
"Hey, Producer Liu, don't tell me you've been wanting to do that for a while and just used this as an excuse to fulfill your dream?" Jing Yu looked at him with a peculiar expression.
"Come on, Teacher Jing Yu, I mustered a lot of courage to say that out loud. Don't just brush it off like a joke," Liu Neng said, a bit speechless.
"Well, I have zero interest in seeing Producer Liu in women's clothes. If you really feel like apologizing, just treat the entire crew to a big feast when the time comes." Jing Yu replied.
In the following two days, the post-production of 'Your Lie in April's first episode was finally completed.
Meanwhile, Dangerous Lovers was flooding Jin Hui TV's advertisement slots with trailers. They were everywhere.
Along with the show's trailer, a two-minute interview with lead actress Xu Xiangwen was also aired.
This level of promotion was no joke. These ad slots could've easily been sold off, yet the station dedicated all of them to Dangerous Lovers.
Right now, there is even a live studio interview with her playing on Jin Hui TV.
Several beautiful women sat together—Xu Xiangwen, Tang Yidong, Song Xin—as well as the show's male lead.
"So, Miss Xu, why did you choose to star as the female lead in Dangerous Lovers?"
"Of course, because I admire the writer Jiang Shiqing!"
"Admire? Are you saying…"
"No, no, I mean I admire his talent. I've always loved his White Lovers. I never missed a single episode in those twelve weeks!"
"Oh, I see…" the host hesitated slightly.
Tang Yidong and Song Xin, seated beside Xu Xiangwen, also showed slight changes in expression.
White Lovers didn't air for twelve straight weeks—it was actually thirteen, with a one-week break in between.
After the interview, even Xu Xiangwen's assistants pointed out the mistake to her.
In terms of looks, she and the other two women were on the same level, but Tang Yidong and Song Xin still acted a bit deferential and ingratiating toward her.
After all, Xu Xiangwen had already made a name for herself across the entire Zhou region, while they...
Well, the gap was obvious.
As the group walked down the hallway of the TV station, preparing to leave—
"Speaking of Jiang Shiqing's White Lovers, didn't it actually get beaten by his emergency fill-in drama?" Xu Xiangwen raised an eyebrow and said with a light smirk.
She had just learned this from her assistant.
Normally, actors refer to writers as "Teacher," but that also depends on the level of the actor and the writer.
"That kind of thing doesn't really count as a competition," Song Xin quickly stepped up to defend Jiang Shiqing.
"But I heard the writer of that emergency drama—someone named Jing something—his new show will be airing in the same time slot as Dangerous Lovers, right?" Xu Xiangwen's voice carried a slightly mocking tone.
"Well, I won't say too much… just tell your boyfriend Jiang Shiqing this: Jin Hui TV is only airing three dramas this spring. If our drama can't be number one in every category among them," Xu Xiangwen continued,
"Then all the talk about future collaborations? Forget it. The cast level of this production is way too low. I can't afford the embarrassment."
Tang Yidong and Song Xin exchanged glances, their eyes flashing with resentment.
Xu Xiangwen's words had dragged them both down with her.
"Don't worry, Xu-jie, that kind of outcome isn't even a possibility. The writer of that emergency drama is named Jing Yu. His new show only had a ten-million-yuan budget, and there aren't any well-known actors in the entire cast. The promotion is weak, too. It's just an average show—it can't possibly threaten Dangerous Lovers." Song Xin forced a smile, hiding her unease.
"That earlier drama's success was just a fluke. As for this Jing Yu guy—he's just a mediocre talent."
Tang Yidong also knew a bit about Jing Yu's new show. Yu Youqing was the female lead again. Last time in 'My Tomorrow, Your Yesterday', it had made her so mad she nearly lost it.
She had thought it would be a chance to mock Yu Youqing, but to her surprise, 'My Tomorrow, Your Yesterday' made her somewhat popular.
And the opportunity for that comeback? It was because Tang Yidong herself had gotten injured.
And now, in Jing Yu's new show, he had cast Yu Youqing again…
That name stirred up a lot of thoughts in her mind.
Just then, the group walked into the lobby of Jin Hui TV.
A massive wall-mounted screen was playing the station's broadcast.
A voice rang out.
"Your Lie in April – Coming Soon"
"Dear Mr. Arima Kousei…"
"What color is the world around you now?"
On the screen, a sorrowful-looking boy with delicate features stood holding a letter.
This scene was from fairly late in the story, but Jing Yu had added it to the trailer anyway—it wouldn't give away too much but served as a teaser.
Cherry blossoms drifting slowly in the wind… a long-haired beauty playing the melodica on a sunlit grassy hill…
A vibrant, youthful high school setting.
A confident and beautiful girl playing the violin in a concert hall.
A handsome boy, trembling with fear as he stared at the piano keys, nervously pounding out crude and jarring notes.
"Let it carry everything I want to say—let it reach you."
A gentle male voice flowed through the air, accompanied by the intertwining sounds of piano and violin.
"That sounds amazing."
"This music is so beautiful."
"Classical music can sound this good?"
"Those characters are so pretty and handsome!"
Whispers from the entourage filled the air.
Xu Xiangwen, Tang Yidong, and Song Xin were all drawn in by the stirring sound of the piano and violin in the trailer.
Beautiful.
[I told a lie.]
At the end of the trailer, those words appeared on the letter.
Then the logo emerged:
'Your Lie in April'
Along with a small row of credits:
Screenwriter: Jing Yu
Director: Gao Wencang
Producer: Liu Neng
Jing Yu as Arima Kousei
Yu Youqing as Miyazono Kaori
Music Director: Chen Liming
Violin: Jing Yu
Piano: Jing Yu
Though it was just a trailer, it included all the key production credits in the final frame.
"This 'mediocre show' you were talking about—this is the one, right? And that 'mediocre' writer… his name is Jing Yu, yeah?" Xu Xiangwen looked at the names on the screen. The two characters for "Jing Yu" stood out like a spotlight.
Her eyes glanced over at Song Xin and Tang Yidong, calm and cool.
"I don't know the full story about this show or that man, but I will say this: that trailer? Pretty interesting."
Especially the music.
Xu Xiangwen had been to enough concerts to know roughly what level a musician was at.
If both the violin and piano from the trailer were really played by that Jing Yu…
And Song Xin still called him mediocre?
She was either blind or just plain stupid.
But…
What did any of this have to do with Xu Xiangwen?
She didn't seriously think a well-polished trailer alone could pose a threat to her new show.
Only Song Xin stood there, eyes dazed, replaying the trailer's music and the names on the screen in her mind.
Violin, piano, script, male lead—all Jing Yu?
Was that… the Jing Yu she knew?
Time continued to tick by.
Over the next few days, while Dangerous Lovers continued its aggressive promo blitz, Jin Hui TV also started inserting trailers for 'Your Lie in April' and Lancheng Police Files.
Then came Thursday—Lancheng Police Files premiered.
Episode 1 scored an average viewership of 0.43%. A pretty mediocre result.
But for a police drama, it wasn't surprising. These days, people aren't very interested in watching too many crime stories—too heavy, too grim.
Unless the concept is extremely creative, romance still attracts a broader audience.
So no one at the station expected much from it.
But then came the next day: January 7th. Friday.
The day 'Your Lie in April' premiered.
Within Jin Hui TV, many staff members turned their attention to the show.
After all, everyone knew how Jing Yu had gotten this opportunity—and the rumors between him and Jiang Shiqing had long been circulating within the station.
This wasn't just workplace competition—it was personal drama!
And gossip? Gossip never sleeps.
Meanwhile, outside the station, 'My Tomorrow, Your Yesterday' fans were hyped too.
Actress Shou Aimei and actor Gao Shan are reuniting in a campus romance?
This time, surely they'd get their happy ending—right?