At this point, Su Yan was undeniably one of the most talked-about figures in Xia Nation's TV industry.
Every move he made was being closely watched.
His meetings with both Zhongxia TV and Hudu TV had already stirred up plenty of attention.
And now, with near-confirmed news that Dimensional Pictures would be co-producing an S-grade drama with Zhongxia TV next April—
Well, that turned the rumor mill into a full-blown inferno.
["You heard? Su Yan's rumored to have a new show in development!"]
["Yup! My brother-in-law works at Zhongxia TV—he said Su Yan's new series might premiere on their network!"]
["He's working with Zhongxia TV? No way."]
["Why not? Zhongxia TV's last season was a disaster. Two A-grade dramas flopped, ranking fourth and fifth. Instead of scrambling for a high-profile crew to compete with Su Yan, wouldn't it be smarter to team up with him?"]
["You're not wrong. With Su Yan's fanbase and brand power, an average A-grade drama wouldn't be enough to beat him. The only way to guarantee a win is to go all in with an S-grade. But now that he's collaborating with Zhongxia TV… they don't even need to take that risk."]
["Too bad for Aozora TV. Just when they finally found a superstar, he jumped ship to Zhongxia TV."]
["I wouldn't be so sure. From what I've heard, Su Yan isn't cutting ties with Aozora TV. He's likely working with both networks. Makes sense, too—he's a private producer. He can't afford to put all his eggs in one basket."]
Speculation ran wild throughout the industry.
But none of them had guessed the real scale of Su Yan's plans.
The boldest predictions assumed a B-grade or A-grade drama—
No one thought he'd go all-in on something bigger.
Until October 7th, when Zhongxia TV officially announced that they'd be co-producing an S-grade drama with Su Yan's Dimensional Pictures, scheduled for next April.
Boom.
It was like a volcano erupting in the entertainment world.
Especially among Su Yan's fanbase:
["An S-grade drama? Holy crap—Su Yan's lost his mind!"]
["He probably poured all the profits from 'Your Lie in April' into this, right?"]
["Insane. The Big Three haven't touched S-grade projects in over two years, and Su Yan beat them to it?"]
["Well, it's not that the Big Three can't do S-grade projects… It's that they don't need to. They already dominate the charts—no pressure, no need to push boundaries."]
["But things are different now! Su Yan's confirmed to air an S-grade drama next April. What will Hudu and Sakura TV do? Keep playing it safe with A-grade dramas and hand Su Yan another seasonal title? Or worse—the Year's Best Drama Award?"]
["He won with a B-grade show. So if this S-grade is anywhere near as good… Year-End Crown, here we come!"]
["'Cyberpunk: Edgerunners'? All I know is cyberpunk refers to futuristic sci-fi themes. So Su Yan's S-grade drama is going to be science fiction?"]
["Not exactly. Cyberpunk shows are rare in Xia Nation because the costs are sky-high. But the genre's core isn't about tech—it's about despair and tragedy. The clash between high-tech and low-life—that's where the heartbreak happens."]
["Despair? Tragedy? …yikes."]
["It might not be all doom and gloom! Just like 'Your Lie in April', Su Yan might give us a twist ending. His sci-fi doesn't have to end in tragedy."]
Sakura TV.
Akasaka Yoshitoki's eyes gleamed as his assistant briefed him on Su Yan's latest developments.
"An S-grade drama?"
"That's right," the assistant confirmed.
"With a company like his, it must be everything he's got," Akasaka said coldly. "If this show underperforms, he's done for."
He fell into a brief silence.
"We can't let a runaway traitor run wild. He got lucky with 'Your Lie in April', but that's where it ends," he muttered, eyes narrowing.
"S-grade drama? We can make one too."
He turned to his assistant.
"Inform the production department, the script team, and all the studios we've worked with: Sakura TV is launching its own S-grade drama next April. The failure of 'The Simplest Love!' and the ridicule we've faced from the industry—we will avenge that."
"I want the whole industry to know—Sakura TV doesn't need anyone to succeed. We'll crush Su Yan in ratings, awards, and viewership. We'll take home the Season Crown, the Year-End Crown, and Best Drama."
"Understood! You're a true strategist, sir—striking when the enemy's at their most arrogant! A masterstroke!"
Akasaka was clearly pleased with the praise and nodded contentedly.
Once his assistant left, he turned to look out at the glowing skyline of Hudu City.
"Su Yan… don't get cocky just because you've had a few hits."
"S-grade isn't just about throwing money around. Without the industry connections, the right actors, directors, and writers—what can your half-baked company possibly achieve?"
Back at Dimensional Pictures.
Su Yan scrolled through the media buzz and online chatter surrounding 'Cyberpunk: Edgerunners'.
He exhaled deeply.
"As expected from an S-grade drama. Zhongxia TV knows early publicity is critical."
"But still…" he added with a smile.
"Still what?" asked Shinozaki Ikumi, sitting nearby in his office.
"Hudu TV rejected our proposal. They're probably planning something. And Akasaka Yoshitoki got completely clowned last season—he must be furious. If he finds out we're airing an S-grade drama next April…"
Su Yan grinned.
"I doubt he'll sit still."
Shinozaki Ikumi's eyes widened.
"You mean… we might not be the only S-grade drama airing next April?"
"Just a guess," Su Yan said.
"But even if that happens—"
He looked out the window.
"We'll be the ones who win."
He and Zhongxia TV had already finalized everything: top-tier promotional resources, a prime-time slot, zero broadcasting disadvantages.
From now till next April, they have 8–9 months to film and produce the VFX for 'Edgerunners'.
On the other side, negotiations with Aozora TV had also wrapped up.
'Life Is Strange' would premiere in January.
'The Garden of Words', as a theatrical film, would require a longer prep cycle—scheduling, distributors, and stricter filming standards.
Shi Peihua alone wouldn't be enough. They'd need to bring in a professional film director to take over.
That meant a lot of work.
"By the way," Su Yan asked, "how are we handling the auditions for the three projects? Got any actors in mind?"
"For 'Edgerunners', the lead—David—is you," Shinozaki Ikumi answered without hesitation. "For Lucy, I'm thinking Gu Qingyuan. And for Rebecca, I'd go with Shen Liqian."
Su Yan's expression twitched.
Why is it always us three against…?
He asked carefully, "Why Gu Qingyuan for Lucy?"
"Because in your script, Lucy is a seductive, icy beauty. Rebecca is a flat-chested genki girl. Correct?"
Shinozaki looked up at him and answered plainly:
"Gu Qingyuan has the perfect figure and cold aura for the cool older-woman type."
"And Shen Liqian is… well, flat. It fits."
Su Yan paused.
"…Fair point."
"As for 'Life Is Strange'—that's even simpler. It's a dual-female-lead story: Max and Chloe," she continued.
"Same actresses again."
"With the January and April premieres, having the same leads in both dramas helps keep the fanbase engaged."
Su Yan finally understood what she was thinking.
From the very beginning, Shinozaki Ikumi had planned to cast the same trio—Su Yan, Gu Qingyuan, and Shen Liqian—in all three projects.
"What about 'The Garden of Words'?"
"You as the male lead. Gu Qingyuan as the female."
"…Hold on," Su Yan finally protested. "Why is every project centered on the three of us? Are there no other actors in the Xia entertainment industry?"
"You think we're versatile enough to carry everything?"
"Of course not," Shinozaki replied, pulling out her laptop.
She opened a well-known analytics site.
"These are national rankings based on market data. After 'Your Lie in April', Shen Liqian has held the top spot on the female popularity chart for three weeks straight. Gu Qingyuan is sixth, thanks to her performance as Emi Igawa."
"As for male actors—you've consistently stayed in the top three since 'Your Lie in April' aired."
She looked at him seriously.
"Sure, we could cast others. But in terms of current popularity? No one beats you three."
"At least for the next six months, until 'Your Lie in April' cools off, your name recognition is on par with top-tier stars. And let's not forget—we're low on funds. Casting the three of you is cheap. That leaves more budget for actual production quality."