The conversation between Xia Yining and Yu Youqing soon came to an end.
After all, this was a celebration banquet, not a friendly gathering — the proper procedures still had to be followed.
A projector, long prepared in advance, displayed statistics on the big screen — data from the premieres of 'Hikaru no Go', 'Another', and 'Steins;Gate'. During the presentation, Cheng Lie, the producer, delivered an impassioned speech to the audience.
It was basically the same routine as a company leader firing up their team at a corporate awards ceremony.
The atmosphere quickly became lively — and then it was Jing Yu's turn.
As the heart and soul of the production team, the head screenwriter, and with all three series achieving outstanding results — each ranking in the top 10 of the summer broadcast season — Yunteng TV had naturally prepared generous rewards for the members of the three major crews.
And the announcement and distribution of those rewards? That was Jing Yu's job.
By the end of the event, Jing Yu looked down at the familiar faces in the audience — people he had come to know well over the past six months. He understood very clearly that as long as he continued working at Yunteng TV, these people would, in some way, remain tied to him.
After all, their highest achievements in television drama came under his leadership. It was only natural that they'd lean toward supporting him within the company.
"So, this collaboration is just the first — but it absolutely won't be the last," Jing Yu finally got to the main point.
"The success of 'Hikaru no Go', 'Steins;Gate', and 'Another' isn't the peak of what we're capable of."
He looked out across the entire room.
"Tonight's celebration isn't a farewell. We'll meet again on the next project!"
The mood in the room shifted in an instant. All eyes locked onto him.
Jing Yu had been speaking for nearly half an hour, but this was the line that caught everyone's attention.
Whether it was Wu He, Li He, or other members from different crews, they all began breathing faster, their excitement growing.
If someone else had stood on that stage and claimed that "being the top-rated show this season isn't the end," people would've just rolled their eyes.
But coming from Jing Yu?
They believed him.
In life, sometimes choosing the right person is more important than hard work — they all understood this far too well.
I need to find a way to get Jing Yu-sensei to notice me! I want to be picked for the next show!
Almost everyone in the room had that same thought at the same time.
So once Jing Yu finished speaking, he was instantly surrounded by an even more enthusiastic wave of toasts.
Glasses clinked endlessly. Through the haze, Jing Yu seemed to glimpse Cheng Lie's brilliant smile and saw Xia Yining and Yu Youqing standing before him, helping him refuse further toasts.
In a daze, it seemed like his assistant Zhong Xiang, along with Xia Yining and Yu Youqing, helped him into a taxi and brought him back to the production team's apartment.
The Next Morning
Jing Yu woke up in bed with a splitting headache.
It was almost noon.
He'd been waking up at 6 a.m. every day for the past few months — even though he'd spent the past couple of weeks gaming nonstop, his body still woke up at the usual time.
Sleeping in until noon like this... it had been a long time.
"Ah… this is what growing up feels like," Jing Yu sighed.
He went through his usual routine and checked his phone.
Sure enough...
Xingtong TV, Huanshi TV, Imperial Capital TV, and three other top-six stations had yet again messaged him, wanting to "have a deeper discussion."
What's there to discuss?
Sure, Yunteng TV might not be on par with the big three stations, but didn't 'Hikaru no Go' top the ratings anyway?
Jing Yu understood a fundamental truth: a person's value lies in how irreplaceable they are.
Yunteng TV only reached the top because of him. So while they might not be able to provide the resources or budget the big three could, Yunteng TV gave him their absolute best support.
To Yunteng TV, he was indispensable — to the big three? Maybe not.
Do the big three really lack a top-tier writer who can win a season's ratings crown?
Even though 'Hikaru no Go' topped the summer season, that alone wasn't enough to shake the big three's dominance in the TV drama industry.
The reason they were so eager to recruit him was likely to eliminate Yunteng TV as a potential threat.
Offer him a good deal, sign him for three to five years, and then shelve him — that's not far-fetched. No matter how talented you are, you might still lose to the in-house politics and long-standing connections at the top stations.
So, unless necessary, Jing Yu had no intention of risking it.
He checked the rest of his calls.
Most were from talent agency bosses he'd met in Modo — all trying to secure roles for their actors in his future projects.
Dozens of these calls came in every day.
Ding dong.
The doorbell rang.
Who could it be?
Jing Yu opened the door in confusion.
"Hello, Jing Yu."
Standing there was Yu Youqing, dressed casually in a cap and pleated black skirt, long legs wrapped in sheer black tights.
"You haven't eaten yet, right?" She lifted the meal box in her hand and smiled.
"While I was cooking lunch, I figured you probably skipped breakfast after getting drunk last night, so…"
"Ah— please, come in." Jing Yu quickly let her in.
"How did you know I lived here?"
He opened the meal box — three tiers: braised beef, steamed fish, egg custard, and shiitake soup.
His stomach grumbled — he really was hungry.
Without hesitation, he started eating.
"I remembered when I came here last night with your assistant Zhong Xiang." Yu Youqing blushed.
"I hope you'll forgive me for dropping by uninvited."
"No, no — I should be thanking you. You went through the trouble." Jing Yu took a few more bites and looked at her.
"I didn't expect your cooking to be just as impressive as you are."
"Really? You think it's good? Then maybe I'll bring you meals more often," Yu Youqing smiled brightly.
Ding dong.
The doorbell rang again.
Now who?
Jing Yu had a feeling.
He opened the door — sure enough, it was Xia Yining.
Wearing a floral dress and pigtails, looking young and energetic, she also carried a meal box — even bigger than Yu Youqing's.
"Jing Yu! Haven't eaten yet, right? Look what I brought you!" she said proudly.
She walked in and spotted Yu Youqing. Her expression froze.
The two exchanged a few awkward greetings, each stealing glances at the food and at Jing Yu.
In the end… including Yu Youqing's meal, Jing Yu had nine dishes and two soups.
He ate so much, his stomach ached.
After sending both of them off, he sighed inwardly:
"Please… don't come again next time."
June 29
The cast, directors, and writers of 'Hikaru no Go', 'Steins;Gate', and 'Another' — nearly twenty people in total — boarded a plane headed for the Capital.
Of course, this wasn't Cheng Lie's first time attending such events. Even if previous Yunteng TV shows hadn't won major awards, they'd still picked up a few smaller ones.
But this was his first time as the main character.
After all, everyone knew — in this awards season, 'Hikaru no Go' and 'Steins;Gate' were key contenders.
Cheng Lie was understandably excited.
As for Yu Youqing and Xia Yining, while 'Steins;Gate' hadn't pushed them into full-fledged stardom in Great Zhou, becoming top-tier actresses required more than just one hit.
Still, in terms of popularity and influence, the past few months have definitely elevated them to the upper ranks of tier-two celebrities.
The rapid rise in popularity left them feeling a bit unreal — and a bit nervous.
Jing Yu? He slept through the whole flight.
He didn't care much about the awards — winning would be great, but if not, would it really be a loss for 'Hikaru no Go' or 'Steins;Gate'?
From what he recalled, although the awards committee had ties to the six major stations — with some even working for them — if the results were too obviously biased, the Silver Dragon Awards wouldn't still be trusted by so many viewers across Great Zhou.
Absolute fairness was difficult — but relative fairness still existed.
As soon as they landed, a representative from Imperial Capital TV, the host station, came to receive them.
Not every crew received such treatment. Many of the nominated teams were just there to show face — no arrangements were made for them. They had to find their own accommodation and simply show up at the event.
The staff welcoming Jing Yu were unusually warm, even hinting that the Production Department Head at Imperial Capital TV was available these days — if Jing Yu had time, he could drop by for tea.
Once they arrived at a star-rated hotel in the capital, the atmosphere changed.
Not only were the teams from Jing Yu's three shows staying there, but also the major members of 'You, Under the Cliff', 'Black Cat', and 'Manual' — all staying on the same floor.
At lunch that afternoon, everyone briefly met.
Among the 'You, Under the Cliff' crew were three A-list stars of Great Zhou: Sun Ling, Tong Shujuan, and Xu Rong — clearly the center of attention.
They were all celebrities — no fanboys or fangirls here — but any of them walking down the street would cause a crowd in minutes.
Then came Wu He and Li He, two breakout male stars of the summer season — their rise had already put pressure on many of their peers.
Naturally, Xia Yining and Yu Youqing were also focus points.
But sitting between them, Jing Yu was the real center of attention.
Everyone was whispering about him.
The atmosphere was strange — every established producer, writer, and actor in the room had deep industry connections.
Even Cheng Lie knew a third of the attendees from previous encounters.
But Jing Yu?
Everyone recognized his face —
But no one knew the person.
And yet, over the next few days, at the Silver Dragon Awards hosted by Imperial Capital TV...
He was clearly the main character.
Everyone had heard the rumors — Jing Yu had been nominated in almost every major category: writing, acting, music.
To those who worked under him, he was a hardworking genius.
To those competing against him?
He might as well be cheating.