As the broadcast time drew near, Jinhui TV's viewership numbers surged, a now-weekly occurrence since 'Your Lie in April' began airing—especially on Fridays.
In fan groups dedicated to 'Your Lie in April', the excitement was off the charts.
"It's here! It's starting!"
"Justice for Jin Hui—she deserves to be the main lead!"
"Ze Zhun supremacy!"
"Childhood friends for the win!"
"Gong Yuanxun is the only true female lead. The rest are all side chicks."
"Where's the harem ending gang?"
"Am I seriously the only one shipping You Gongsheng and Du Liang? Two gorgeous guys—every time they're on screen together, I'm swooning!"
From episode one to now, 'Your Lie in April' has mostly focused on music and friendship, with romance being more of a slow burn. Yet, the female characters had each grown incredibly popular.
Gong Yuanxun was, of course, the energetic protagonist. Ze Zhun might not be played by someone as stunning as Gong Yuanxun's actress, but her character was undeniably adorable and lovable.
However, it was Jin Hui, the pianist, who saw You Gongsheng as her rival, whose popularity had skyrocketed since last week.
Her piano performance in the music competition at the end of episode four had left audiences breathless—cool, graceful, and ethereal.
Now, just before the episode began, Jinhui TV's live ratings had already climbed to 1.48%.
Chu You, personally monitoring the broadcast from the ratings department, felt a bit more at ease.
"At 1.48% before it even starts? If things go well, ending the episode at 1.78% or more should be doable. Right, Old Li?"
He glanced at the ratings analyst beside him.
"Director Chu, how would I know?" Old Li chuckled as he poured him a cup of tea. "In all my years at the station, I've never seen a drama like 'Your Lie in April'. It debuted at 0.82%, and by episode five, it's pushing 1.7%. If this episode is strong, it could climb more than 0.3%. But if it's like episode three—mostly focused on the second female lead—the growth might stall. That episode only jumped 0.2%."
It was still January in Lan City, cold and bleak.
Yet Chu You's palms were slightly damp with sweat.
After all, 'Your Lie in April' and Dangerous Girlfriend were the highest-rated dramas the station had aired in years. He wasn't sure what to expect if the ratings pushed beyond current limits—there was no precedent.
8:00 PM sharp.
The infamous Jinhui TV ad for "Kidney & Back Pain Relief Pills" ended, and 'Your Lie in April' episode five began.
The screen faded in to a surging, commanding piano melody.
Like the chilling sting of melting icicles slipping down your back, that opening note made viewers instantly tense.
In Shanghai, high school student Yu Yan clenched her doll tightly.
As someone who'd been raised on dramas from the major networks, she found this season's big-budget releases incredibly boring. Not bad, just… formulaic.
Truth was, many top-rated shows were filled with recycled tropes. Like Hollywood blockbusters in Jing Yu's past life—they made massive box office returns, yet nine out of ten were practically identical.
But did that make them bad? No. Because audiences eat that stuff up.
Same in the Da Zhou drama scene: Big networks play it safe to appeal to the broadest crowd. The tried-and-true beats always find their fans. Innovate too much, and you risk total failure. A writer might get two shots before their career's over.
So for a drama veteran like Yu Yan, most mainstream shows were dull. Until her cousin from Lan Province mailed her a DVD of 'My Tomorrow, Your Yesterday'.
She fell in love with the lead actors. And by the time she caught up on 'Your Lie in April', it was already at episode two—but she was hooked.
"This writer, Jing Yu, seriously needs to come to Shanghai. Staying stuck in Lan Province with talent like his… even if he makes something amazing, no one will know about it!" she muttered, eyes glued to the screen.
While her classmates gushed over the cliché romances airing on Xingtong TV, no one was talking about 'Your Lie in April'—a true gem.
As Jin Hui's piano performance filled the screen, the show dove into her memories.
She had first heard You Gongsheng play at a concert and burst into tears. That moment inspired her to begin learning the piano.
"I want… to play piano like he does. I want to stand on the same stage as him."
Her internal monologue, paired with the resolute piano score, resonated with every viewer.
"She's amazing…" Yu Yan sipped her tea, completely captivated.
"This is character writing. I don't know what those other spring dramas are doing."
A powerful four-minute piano solo kicked off the episode. By that point, 'Your Lie in April's live rating had already reached 1.67%.
More and more viewers were being pulled in by the magnetic opening.
Jin Hui, dressed in striking red, pouring all her emotions into her performance, then sprinting to the waiting room to face You Gongsheng—
She left a deep impression on everyone.
In the 'Your Lie in April' fan group, chat exploded.
"It's the main character's turn!"
"Please don't choke, You Gongsheng! Jin Hui and Xiang Wu both came here chasing you and your music. You have to face your trauma!"
"This is the first time I've watched a drama hoping the protagonist doesn't flop, not because I want to see him win—but because it would feel unfair to his rivals if he did."
"The way this writer gives depth to all the characters is incredible."
"This Jing Yu guy… I don't think it'll be long before his name is known across all of Da Zhou. He's ridiculous—he's not just a screenwriter, he's also an actor, and apparently, he even handled the soundtrack? I asked a friend working at Jinhui TV, and the piano score Jin Hui played just now was composed by him."
"Totally believe it."
"Didn't even need to ask. You can hear it in the style."
Yu Yan pulled her gaze away from the chat and turned back to the screen.
You Gongsheng stepped onto the stage.
But… the hallucinations began again.
From his perspective, in the audience sat his deceased mother, smiling at him from her wheelchair.
Even as a viewer, Yu Yan felt a chill run down her spine.
The episode dove into You Gongsheng's childhood.
To make his terminally ill mother smile, he constantly competed in and won music contests—all to make her proud.
But one day, he improvised during a performance, playing from the heart—and she punished him for it.
He broke.
He screamed at her, let everything out, and said the last thing he'd ever say to her:
"A person like you… It'd be better if you were dead."
And then, she really did die. Soon after, her condition worsened—and she was gone.
"God…" Yu Yan whispered, feeling like a stone had dropped in her chest.
Both the mother and son had gone too far—but death made everything irreversible.
Was this the reason You Gongsheng could never play music again?
Watching him tremble on stage, viewers could feel the suffocating pressure.
His mother's ghostly image loomed in his mind, appearing again and again.
The piano notes turned chaotic. The competition hall grew restless.
He stopped. His fingers left the keys.
He was about to walk away.
Yu Yan clenched her fists, heart heavy.
This was unbearable.
And then—
in the whirlwind of darkness—
Gong Yuanxun's smile flashed across his mind.
Just like that day at her violin competition.
"Start over."