Three days after the premiere of 'Your Lie in April', it was Sunday. At Jinhui TV...
"Good day, Teacher Jing Yu."
"Teacher Jing Yu!"
"Have you eaten, Teacher Jing Yu?"
"Teacher Jing Yu, remember me? I'm Xiao Yu from the archives."
As Jing Yu walked through the station to report in to Chu You, familiar faces from the past all greeted him warmly with smiles.
Just a few days ago, everyone had been mocking him for that "ten-year viewership record" claim—it had spread through the station like wildfire and become the butt of jokes.
But now?
Opinions had changed.
Let's be honest: that goal still sounded ridiculous. But in this industry, empty talk was par for the course. How many companies boast about "doubling sales next year"? People might roll their eyes, but they still show up to work the next day.
The point was: 'Your Lie in April' had pulled off a solid debut. Episode 1 had peaked above 1% in Greater Zhou, and the average came in at 0.82%. That was already an excellent start—especially for a Friday slot.
So yeah, he might've talked big. But if you've got five parts skill to back up ten parts bragging, people will still respect you.
And as Jing Yu walked toward Chu You's office, he could clearly feel the difference in people's attitudes. The smiles weren't forced—they were genuine.
"Not bad at all!"
The moment Jing Yu stepped into Chu You's office, he was greeted with warmth and a big grin. Chu You even had his assistant pour tea for him.
They chatted a bit about production progress and 'Your Lie in April's early numbers.
"I knew you had it in you. Sure, the station didn't give 'Your Lie in April' much support at first, but in the end, whether a show succeeds depends on itself. Gotta forge your own path, right?" Chu You said with a chuckle.
Right, maybe help forge it with a proper promo budget next time? Jing Yu grumbled inwardly. But outwardly, he nodded in agreement.
"Uncle Chu is right."
Chu You was quite satisfied with his attitude.
He wasn't an idiot—he knew he'd been half-hearted about supporting 'Your Lie in April' after realizing he couldn't compete with Xu You for spring's top-rated drama. But Jing Yu hadn't complained openly, and that was worth appreciating.
"The opening numbers are promising. It's not in Dangerous Lovers' league, of course—but if 'Your Lie in April' keeps climbing and ends up outperforming past Friday dramas, that'll be a big win for you."
"And let's be real, the station's stance changes daily. If the next few episodes can push the average past 0.9%, I might be able to wrangle more resources for the latter half of the show."
Jing Yu's face stayed calm.
"What's the matter? Not happy with the idea?" Chu You asked.
"It's not that… It's just that 0.9% isn't that much of a challenge. Unless something unexpected happens, we'll hit that next week." Jing Yu said casually.
"Bold words! You sure about that?" Chu You chuckled.
"Let's just say I have confidence in myself," Jing Yu smiled back.
The budget had already been set—about 10 million. Even if the station did increase it later, the room for growth wouldn't be huge. At this point, 'Your Lie in April's success would hinge almost entirely on the script.
"Well, here's hoping you're right," Chu You said, still smiling.
Then, after a pause, he made up his mind.
"Look, I know 'Your Lie in April' was never meant to compete with Dangerous Lovers. That's just reality. Dangerous Lovers is likely to end up costing over 40 million, more than double the average drama budget here, and almost on par with national giants like Xingtong TV. So if 'Your Lie in April' doesn't beat it, that's completely normal."
"You've probably heard this already, but the station has real hopes that Dangerous Lovers will break into the Top 20 national dramas this spring."
"So your focus shouldn't be on Jiang Shiqing anymore," Chu You said seriously. "It should be on yourself. If 'Your Lie in April' pulls off another miracle like 'My Tomorrow, Your Yesterday'—if it averages above 1%—then I'll go all in. I'll activate every connection I've got to ensure your next drama gets full backing. That's a promise—from one man to another. I don't go back on my word."
If Jing Yu scored big twice in a row, that wasn't luck anymore—that was talent worth betting on.
May as well make that promise now and look good if it pays off.
Jing Yu gave him a long look.
Honestly, if 'Your Lie in April' reached the heights he expected, then even if Chu You didn't help him, it wouldn't matter. As long as the station wasn't blind, there was no way they'd ignore him.
Still—regardless of the politics—Jing Yu felt thankful. Without Chu You, would he even have gotten a million-yuan budget show to write?
People coming together for mutual benefit wasn't a bad thing. It was just business.
"Then, Uncle Chu, you'd better start preparing," Jing Yu said as he stood to leave.
"Because 'Your Lie in April' might just end up blowing past all your expectations."
On the way out of the station—
In the elevator, Jing Yu ran into a familiar face:
Song Xin.
The original body's ex-girlfriend.
The atmosphere was a bit awkward—at least on her side.
Jing Yu? Indifferent.
She was just a woman who'd ghosted him. Whatever. He didn't hold grudges.
"Jing Yu… your new drama's doing pretty well," Song Xin said, forcing a smile.
Looking at the man in front of her, familiar yet distant, Song Xin felt a tangle of conflicting emotions.
Back then, she'd left Jing Yu because she thought he had no future.
But now…
Well, it seemed she'd misjudged.
In Dangerous Lovers, she was fourth billing. Tang Yidong had leapfrogged her to second. Sure, the show would probably blow up in Lan Province—but what did that mean for her, the fourth female lead?
Meanwhile, Yu Youqing—whom she had mocked and replaced during casting for 'My Tomorrow, Your Yesterday'—had gained popularity in the Lan City scene.
Now she was the lead actress in 'Your Lie in April'. And if the show held steady around 0.82% through to the end?
Then Yu Youqing's standing in the industry would clearly surpass hers.
One was a two-time female lead, with a short hit and a successful seasonal drama.
The other was just… support roles.
Third. Fourth. Background noise.
When a drama succeeds, does anyone remember the third or fourth billed actress?
If 'Your Lie in April' had started with mediocre ratings, Song Xin might not have cared. But it had opened strongly. If it maintained that momentum—or grew—then hitting 0.9%, or even 1%, wasn't out of the question.
Let's be honest—being lead in a 1% drama is way better than being fourth lead in a 1.7% one.
If I hadn't played games during the casting for 'My Tomorrow, Your Yesterday'… if I'd stayed with Jing Yu… then I might be the female lead of 'Your Lie in April' right now.
That thought had been haunting her for days.
Add to that, Jiang Shiqing had been clearly ignoring her lately, throwing all his attention at Xu Xiangwen, and her anxiety only grew.
Looking at Jing Yu's face—handsome and sharper than Jiang Shiqing's—her dissatisfaction deepened.
Why didn't you show any of this talent when we were together?
"Not bad," Jing Yu replied flatly. "Mainly thanks to the cast. Especially the female lead, Yu Youqing. After episode one aired, she got tons of praise."
Song Xin's smile froze.
Ouch.
That was not subtle.
"Still… It's your script that shines," she forced a chuckle. "You've really grown a lot since your father passed away. Ahem—sorry, I've had a cold lately." She gave a soft, delicate cough.
If this had been before, Jing Yu would've panicked, offering her concern and checking if she was okay.
Now?
He took a half-step back, reached into his pocket, and started rummaging for something.
He's probably looking for cold medicine, Song Xin thought, her heart skipping.
He's still the same gentle guy. This will be easy.
Girls and boys fight, reconcile, and make up—it was nothing serious. If Jiang Shiqing ever dumped her, she might need an escape route.
But what came next…
She never expected it.
Jing Yu pulled out a face mask, put it on, and looked at her with an expression full of disgust.
…Huh?
You spent all that time just to find a mask and avoid my germs?