After episode seven of 'Your Lie in April' surpassed 'The Simplest Love!' in ratings, the media coverage around 'Your Lie in April' surged even more than usual.
At this point, reporters began digging up old drama.
Both Su Yan and Shen Liqian had long-standing conflicts with Akasaka Yoshitoki, the Head of Production at Sakura TV.
When the internet was previously flooded with negativity against Su Yan, many speculated that Sakura TV had played a significant role in that smear campaign.
But now?
Now that the tables have turned, so too has public opinion.
The more sensationalist media outlets didn't hesitate to publish their articles overnight:
📰Shen Liqian claps back at Sakura TV a year and a half later! Her outstanding performance in 'Your Lie in April' proves her previous drama's ratings flop had nothing to do with her and was entirely due to Sakura TV's mishandling of the script and production team!
📰Shen Liqian, who once publicly lashed out at Akasaka Yoshitoki and Sakura TV in front of reporters, finally gets her revenge. Now that 'Your Lie in April' has surpassed 'The Simplest Love!' in viewership, Sakura TV's suppression attempts have become an industry-wide joke.
📰A "traitorous screenwriter" and a "semi-banned actress" rise to take revenge this quarter—Akasaka Yoshitoki's past accusations now sound laughable. The newly appointed Head of Production at Sakura TV is facing the biggest PR crisis of his career.
📰Leaving Sakura TV hasn't hindered the career of genius screenwriter Su Yan. On the contrary, the best-performing drama at Sakura TV this quarter has now dropped to third place. Without Su Yan, when will Sakura TV reclaim the top spot in ratings?
📰' Your Lie in April' is gunning for the #1 spot. Sakura, Hudu, and Zhongxia have held that position for sixteen consecutive years. If 'Your Lie in April' climbs to the top, it'll shake the entire industry to its core!
📰'Summer Splendor' still holds a slim 0.15% lead over 'Your Lie in April', but how long will that advantage last? With 'Your Lie in April's soaring reputation, popularity, and ratings, 'Summer Splendor's throne is on the verge of collapse!
📰"The greatest musical drama in Xia Nation's history!" That's the title 'Your Lie in April' is now challenging. But the highly controversial episode 7 raises concerns—if Su Yan delivers another tragic ending like in his previous works, the backlash from fans could be immense!
📰Aozora TV's Head of Production stated in an interview that they anticipated this success the moment they partnered with Su Yan. He criticized Akasaka Yoshitoki as being "old-minded despite his youth," and said that pushing Su Yan out of Sakura TV would forever stain his record.
Inside Akasaka Yoshitoki's office at Sakura TV.
The producer of 'The Simplest Love!', Tong Peian, his assistant, and the drama's director were all getting severely scolded.
"Over forty million in investment, the best primetime slot, top-tier promotion—and you lost to a B-tier show from Aozora TV?" Akasaka's voice boomed, filled with authority.
Tong Peian and the others didn't dare utter a word.
Could they argue back?
Say something like, "Well, Zhongxia TV's two A-tier dramas also lost to 'Your Lie in April', so we're not the most embarrassing."?
Or hit back with, "If you think you can do better, then go ahead and do it"?
No matter how unfair it felt, they knew there was no winning here. They had no retort.
"The summer season isn't over yet—we still have a chance to catch up." Sweat glistened on Tong Peian's forehead.
"Catch up?" Akasaka cast them a cold glance.
"The climax of 'The Simplest Love!' is in the later episodes," Tong Peian said after taking a deep breath. "The bulk of our production budget was allocated to the final few episodes."
"I believe we'll break the 4.5% mark before the season ends. If things go well, we might even surpass 'Your Lie in April', maybe even 'Summer Splendor' with its 4.59% rating."
Akasaka pondered in silence.
"…Forget it. I'm done scolding you. I'll just remind you—everyone only gets so many chances in life. Make them count."
He waved them off with a look of impatience. They quickly left.
The summer broadcast season wasn't over yet. Whether to reward or punish them—it wasn't the right time.
He summoned them today only to give them a warning and set expectations.
Purely based on raw numbers, 'The Simplest Love!' was performing quite well.
But TV ratings, like college entrance exams, weren't judged by absolute performance—only relative rankings.
Even a 6% rating meant little if it placed third. That wasn't success.
Akasaka knew this. So did everyone else in the room.
Once they were gone, Akasaka called for his assistant.
After confirming—again—that Su Yan's rookie short-term contract with the scriptwriting department had no binding clauses, his face twisted in fury.
He ordered Legal to immediately revise all employee contracts in the screenwriting division.
He would never allow another so-called "genius" to escape like this again.
Su Yan got famous through Sakura TV.
He left smoothly, partnered with Aozora TV, and was now publicly slapping Akasaka in the face.
All of it—all of it—stemmed from Sakura TV's lax contract terms for new hires.
"Su Yan…" Akasaka's expression darkened, his breath heavy.
"Don't celebrate just yet."
If Su Yan had faded into obscurity after leaving Sakura TV, Akasaka wouldn't have cared.
But that wasn't the case.
The more success Su Yan earned in the industry, the more Akasaka felt like he was being endlessly humiliated.
Today's media frenzy over 'Your Lie in April' was just the beginning.
What about next year? The year after that?
Would he be mocked every single time Su Yan released a hit?
Where would that leave his authority and reputation as Sakura TV's Head of Production?
He was already contemplating two plans.
If 'The Simplest Love!' could regain the lead, all would be well.
But if it couldn't—
Then he would retaliate. He would crush Su Yan's arrogance.
Friday night.
The main cast of 'Your Lie in April' attended a variety show promotion hosted by Aozora TV.
Although Aozora knew their influence wouldn't move the needle much anymore…
They still did everything by the book—TV ads, online promotions, working with friendly writers to hype the show.
They even prepaid the licensing fee for future syndication rights to Su Yan's company.
After all, Su Yan was planning to add an extra "what if" episode to the drama.
Though a small change, it would still require significant funding.
Despite 'Your Lie in April's high projected revenue, most of the money hadn't been collected yet.
Su Yan was financially stretched during production.
Aozora TV's timely support had solved a critical problem.
That night, Aozora's Head of Production, Zhuo Baosheng, hosted a banquet for Su Yan and Shinozaki Ikumi.
Over drinks, he casually probed them about their plans post-'Your Lie in April'.
Su Yan now runs his own independent film company.
This season, he was partnered with Aozora TV.
Next season, he could work with someone else entirely.
All of Aozora's recent efforts to support 'Your Lie in April' weren't just goodwill—
They were also about securing a long-term collaboration with Su Yan.
"If I can't partner with Zhongxia TV or Hudu TV, I'll still choose Aozora TV as my first pick among the rest."
That was the promise Su Yan made to Zhuo Baosheng after thinking for a moment, his tone sincere.
Su Yan only had issues with Sakura TV—not Hudu TV or Zhongxia TV.
If those two major networks offered a good time slot for his future work, he'd absolutely go with them.
This was already the maximum commitment he could offer.
"I understand, and I appreciate it!" Zhuo smiled.
Just getting a promise like this from Su Yan was enough.
He wasn't naive enough to believe Su Yan would pick Aozora TV over the major players if given the chance—
Unless Su Yan's dad happened to be the head of Aozora TV.
That same night, 'Summer Splendor' episode 8 aired with a rating of 4.61%.
Only a minuscule increase from episode 7.
Insiders could tell—that was the limit.
Every drama, without a major plot twist, will hit a ratings ceiling.
Beyond that, it stabilizes.
Clearly, 'Summer Splendor' had reached its peak.
But 'Your Lie in April'?
Its ratings were still climbing, week after week.
When would that momentum stop?
Sunday
On major drama forums across Xia Nation,
'Your Lie in April' threads far outnumbered those of 'The Simplest Love!'
With stronger word-of-mouth, ratings, and streaming metrics,
'Your Lie in April' had become the main event of Sunday nights.
["Su Yan, the sadist said on Friday's variety show that the ending would be 'acceptable to all 'Your Lie in April' fans.' Does that mean no depressing finale?"]
["I think so. If it's truly acceptable to all fans, it can't be tragic. I'd be the first to object if it is!
["Unless he's trolling again. He did the same thing in 'An Ancient Love Song' and 'To the Moon'."]
["Honestly, I'm scared to watch tonight's episode 8. I'm afraid something awful will happen…"]
["Relax... Su Yan loves his plot twists. When we expect tragedy, maybe he'll surprise us with healing."]
["This is a romance drama. No need to go so dark. I'm fine if Kaori and Kousei don't end up together—but Su Yan, PLEASE don't kill off Kaori. No matter what illness she has—DON'T kill her. Or I swear I'm done with you forever!"]
["Agreed. I can tolerate emotional pain for the sake of a moving story, but I won't accept the heroine dying. Period."]
["Why's everyone being so dramatic? I came here because 'Your Lie in April' is trending like crazy. I've seen all seven episodes—what's the big deal? The heroine was just hospitalized twice. There are way worse dramas where the female lead gets hit by a car and becomes a vegetable, or has amnesia after jumping off a building. Kaori's just been in the hospital twice, and you guys are already talking about her dying?"]
["Bro... go watch Su Yan's earlier works: 'Rurouni Kenshin: Trust & Betrayal', 'An Ancient Love Song', and 'To the Moon'. Watch those three, then let's talk."]
["Do it! All three are amazing. They were the top-rated dramas in the winter, fall, and summer seasons, respectively. 'To the Moon' even won the season championship. You'll be speechless after watching them."]
9:00 PM approached.
Episode 8 of 'Your Lie in April' was about to begin.
Online chatter on the forums quieted down.
Instead, Aozora TV's live viewership spiked dramatically.
Su Xiaoxiao turned on her TV and switched to Aozora.
She had hoped the forums would ease her nerves,
But the more she read, the more anxious she became.
"Teacher Su Yan, this is the last time I'll trust you. Please… don't give us a tragic ending!" she muttered, taking a deep breath.
Suddenly, the commercials on Aozora TV paused.
The theme song of the 'Your Lie in April' episode 8 began to play.