Chapter 122: No One Is Foolish, It’s Not Embarrassing, Quite Reasonable, Isn’t It?

Although the "315" Gala seems to be getting less and less interesting these days, the public is becoming increasingly indifferent to many of the things exposed, simply because, in some cases, things remain unchanged even after the exposure. Some have even expressed confusion, questioning why these scams are only gathered and exposed on March 15th.

Even so, many people still pay attention to the exposures on CCTV. After all, even if they know the "315" Gala has lost its original impact, some of the revelations are closely related to the lives of ordinary people. In particular, people are very eager to know the truth behind certain scams.

Because of this, it is not just *Portrait of a Killer* that chose this day to release its premiere teaser; other television dramas naturally chose to do the same. For instance, the drama *The Right Way to Independence*, which is set to air on April 1st, also released its trailer. It is a dual-female lead drama, and according to the plot, it is primarily about how to deal with "scumbags." However, the marketing is focused on "independent women," and the title itself—*The Right Way to Independence*—reflects this.

On March 15th, the official Weibo account for *The Right Way to Independence* posted: "We hope every woman can be independent and autonomous. We hope every woman can see through the false, sugar-coated shells. Sometimes, exposing fakes is about exposing concepts, attitudes, how to conduct oneself, how to do things, and the long-standing constraints this society has placed on us women..."

This manifesto was quite provocative. After the post went live, the lead actors Zhao Yining and Xu Tong, along with starring actors Han Long, Lin Yu, and Wei Hai, all shared it. The cast for this drama is quite impressive; both Zhao Yining and Xu Tong are considered acting-oriented, and both possess a certain degree of public goodwill. As for Han Long, Lin Yu, and Wei Hai, they also carry a certain influence in the world of television dramas. For this reason, the drama attracted significant attention from industry insiders when the cast was first announced. Moreover, Zhao Yining and Xu Tong are both rising stars with massive traffic.

As mentioned before, it is not just traffic-heavy idols who manipulate data. Rising stars like Zhao Yining and Xu Tong also engage in it; their Weibo posts must have at least 3,000 comments and shares. Beyond that, they also need to maintain their fan clubs, "Super Topics," and other activities during live streams. To maintain high popularity, sometimes one must resort to fraud. In the entertainment industry, everything can be fake, including people. Of course, Zhao Yining and Xu Tong do have genuine popularity and at least some real appeal. After all, some stars have faked their data to the point of believing it themselves, only to fail to sell even 50,000 yuan worth of goods during a live stream.

Thus, Zhao Yining and Xu Tong were the first to share the post, followed quickly by Han Long, Lin Yu, and Wei Hai. In less than half an hour, the official account's share count had already exceeded 50,000. Trending topics were, naturally, already arranged.

*The Right Way to Independence* cannot be compared to a small web drama like *Portrait of a Killer*. It is being broadcast exclusively on Tan Province Satellite TV, and the online platform is "Yi Kan Video." The drama was invested in by "Tan Province Media," which is known for its effective promotional strategies. Furthermore, the drama is aimed directly at the female demographic, so the promotion mainly focuses on "women empowering themselves."

"Finally, it's scheduled. This is the urban drama I've been looking forward to most in 2024."
"Honestly, I've seen too many greasy, middle-aged urban dramas over the years. I really want to see a female-led one."
"If nothing else, as long as Ningning and Tongtong are in it, it's a must-watch."
"Well said. Being a woman in this world is truly not easy. We are always constrained by so many things; sometimes we are even aborted before we are even born."
"I think everyone is right. I support female independence and I support *The Right Way to Independence*. I will definitely watch this drama."

Currently, most of the promotional material for *The Right Way to Independence* on Weibo is much the same, revolving around how difficult it is to be a woman and how women are easily threatened in various ways. Is there any truth to it? Yes. But is life only difficult for women in this society? If this were a few years ago, the public opinion environment might have been quite receptive to this kind of marketing, but in the last two years, people haven't been buying it as much. Under the fragmentation of public opinion and the accelerating pace of life, this kind of rhetoric no longer resonates with everyone.

However, the promotion for *The Right Way to Independence* was firing on all cylinders, and in less than half an hour, it had already surged onto the trending list. At the same time, the five-minute premiere trailer was filled with classic lines that resonated with the current social climate—things like "women shouldn't be housewives" or "women should never abandon their careers at any time," and so on. In short, the trailer was quite effective; it felt somewhat unconventional, or at least, it could be framed as a "housewife's revenge." Many marketing accounts and major influencers shared the trailer, with some commenting, "I'm already tired of the domestic urban dramas where the plots are always about fighting mistresses or housewives suffering in silence. I'm looking forward to this revenge story."

This drama is currently considered a hot topic. Compared to the explosive popularity of *The Right Way to Independence*, the current state of *Portrait of a Killer* is much more dismal. Although it posted its official premiere announcement around the same time, its heat is quite poor. The Weibo shares are only at 9,000.

It was the same old story.

Aside from the heat contributed by Lin Xing's share, the other stars were basically useless. Ma Wen had originally hoped to piggyback on the heat of the 315 Gala, but as it turned out, all the attention was snatched away by *The Right Way to Independence*. Many people had the same idea as Ma Wen; everyone wanted to ride the 315 wave. Besides *Portrait of a Killer* and *The Right Way to Independence*, there were seven or eight other dramas promoting, scheduling, wrapping up, or starting production. In short, you can't just expect to gain heat whenever you want it.

Currently, besides the 315 news, *The Right Way to Independence* is the only drama hanging on the trending list. After all, the drama has genuine hype, a solid cast, and is directed by Wang Feilong, who is known for his urban dramas. Because of this, many people are paying attention. It has talking points and heat; while the quality of the script remains to be seen, the director is reliable.

What, then, does *Portrait of a Killer* have to compete with them? Or rather, what right does a small web drama have to compete with a television drama with such a strong lineup? If there were money, Ma Wen could have spent heavily on marketing *Portrait of a Killer*, but the problem is that there is no money, so they have to be frugal.

"No need to buy trending topics for now," Ma Wen said, shaking his head. "The current situation is that buying a few topics won't make much of a difference. Let's wait until after we record the variety show *Tonight's Drama* before making further plans."

"Fine, I agree. Our promotional budget is just too low," the staff member in charge of publicity sighed. "Plus, apart from Lin Xing, no one else has any traffic."

"Let's wait for the premiere. We'll promote it on the day *Portrait of a Killer* airs. I'll communicate with Penguin Video to see if they can give us a splash screen recommendation," Ma Wen thought for a moment and added, "Even if we have to buy a recommendation slot ourselves, we must make sure *Portrait of a Killer* has some sense of presence." Regardless, Ma Wen had poured too much effort into this web drama.

"Old Ma, is there any other way?" Wang Yi asked, looking worried. "We're only about half a month away from the premiere. Should we host a launch press conference?"

"It's useless," Ma Wen said with a bitter smile. "If it were a hit drama with a strong cast, a press conference would be very effective. But we are just a web drama that hardly anyone cares about. Wouldn't hosting a press conference be like slapping ourselves in the face?"

Some dramas, because of their strong creative team and numerous stars, come with their own traffic and talking points, to the point where even reporters are not qualified to attend the press conference. But *Portrait of a Killer* is different. It is just a small web drama; the script is decent, and the cast is acceptable, but besides Lin Xing, there is no traffic. For actors, having "black spots" (scandals) isn't the scariest thing—what's scary is having neither black spots nor bright spots. Like a cup of plain water, no matter how good your acting is, few reporters are willing to interview you.

Wang Yi was a bit angry. "So, you're saying the drama we worked so hard on is destined to flop? Can't Penguin Video and your company see how good this drama is?"

Liu Zhou laughed. "Old Wang, you're still too young. I'm the director and I'm not worried, why are you, the screenwriter, so anxious?"

Wang Yi: "I..."

"Every drama thinks it will be a hit before it airs. If a drama manages to get approved and filmed, who would think they are making a bad film?" Liu Zhou smiled and interrupted Wang Yi. "But how many dramas are actually hits? It still needs to be tested by the market. There are plenty of so-called 'S-tier' dramas that flop."

Wang Yi sighed. "I know that, but we are currently rated as A+, and we have no promotional resources, so how can I not be anxious?" Under normal circumstances, a screenwriter's work is finished once the script is written, or perhaps after filming is complete if they are on-set writers. But the script for *Portrait of a Killer* was something Wang Yi spent three years creating. It's like a child he carried for three years; he wouldn't be content without seeing it grow up. But growing up is just the first step; he also hopes the child will become successful. So, during the Spring Festival, Wang Yi stayed with the post-production team, wanting to see the finished product and hoping it would have a smooth premiere. Most importantly, he wanted it to be recognized by the audience.

"So, we need to keep working hard. Haven't you seen how much Old Ma has been drinking at dinners lately?" Liu Zhou smiled. "I also asked my wife to help promote it in her wealthy socialite group. But Old Wang, whether a drama becomes a hit or not is not something we can decide. If everyone were as anxious as you, how would anything ever get done? You're a screenwriter; you should understand the benefits of staying calm better than I do."

"Old Liu, I know," Wang Yi nodded gently, "but I just can't help it."

"I know, it's like that the first time," Liu Zhou joked. "I was like that when I filmed my first drama."

Wang Yi was speechless. "This isn't my first, but it is my first time writing a crime thriller, and I spent three years on it. Perhaps because my expectations are too high, I've become a bit insecure."

Ma Wen understands Wang Yi best on this point. After all, he witnessed Wang Yi writing the script for *Portrait of a Killer* bit by bit over the years, especially after multiple revisions.

"Alright, Old Wang, Director Liu is right. As long as a drama can air, that's a victory," Ma Wen said with a smile. "Since you have confidence in this drama, let's just wait for the premiere and see if the audience likes it..." Ma Wen paused, then said, "I'll make another call to Lin Xing. We have to record *Tonight's Drama* the day after tomorrow, and we'll have to rely on him then."

As the flagship program of Tan Province Satellite TV, *Tonight's Drama* is not easy to get onto. Many dramas and movies struggle to get on the show to promote themselves. Ma Wen had to use his own connections to help the *Portrait of a Killer* crew get on the show.

Among them, Lin Xing is the biggest star, followed by Zhou Wei and Ning Rong—a total of three people. However, their crew is just there to play supporting roles. The real protagonists are the cast of *The Right Way to Independence*. In addition, there are two actors from another drama crew. Three crews gathered for *Tonight's Drama*.

*Tonight's Drama* is a guest-interview variety show. Mi Ni has hosted it since the first episode; she was a newcomer then, and step by step, she became the head host of the show. Speaking of which, Feng Gang's departure is also related to this show. At the beginning, *Tonight's Drama* was the ceiling of variety shows; many other shows tried to copy or follow its style, and every artist felt honored to appear on it. But later, the ratings of *Tonight's Drama* began to slide, and Feng Gang had been the chief director of the show all along.

The station wanted *Tonight's Drama* to upgrade its host lineup and expand the guest interviews into more game-oriented, competitive variety segments. Furthermore, the turnover of artists these days is too fast, and for nearly twenty years, *Tonight's Drama* had kept the same group of people, aside from a few early host changes. The audience would inevitably get tired of it. The station wanted to add traffic-heavy stars, or at least young artists, as hosts to attract younger viewers, but Feng Gang refused. In his view, adding young artists would destroy the original chemistry of *Tonight's Drama*. Beyond that, Feng Gang and the station had different visions for development. Thus, when the conflict became irreconcilable, Feng Gang was shown the door.

After he was gone, and after Feng Gang's new variety show *Let's Farm* aired, *Tonight's Drama* underwent a comprehensive renovation. The number of hosts increased from five to ten. Mi Ni and the veteran Shang Wei remained in charge, while the remaining eight were paired up to look after the guests. The focus was entirely on making it lively. This was also what the audience liked to see. No depth required. Once the guests arrived, everyone just played games. Because they invited many guests who had traffic, it naturally generated heat. It can be said that the upgrade of *Tonight's Drama* was a compromise toward traffic and public opinion. Because in this market, you have to be lively. You can see why, just look at how Mi Ni's interviews have turned into "one-day visits." Compromising with the market isn't shameful. Everyone has to make a living.

Ma Wen knew that Lin Xing had recorded Mi Ni's *A Day with Mi Ni* and her new variety show *Start Now*, so he thought he would ask Lin Xing to promote the show as much as possible during the recording the day after tomorrow.

"Ah Xing, I really appreciate your hard work. Now, our drama has to rely on you," Ma Wen said with gratitude while on the phone with Lin Xing.

"Mr. Ma, I said before, this is my job," Lin Xing said with a smile. "Since it's work, I have to do it well, no matter how hard it is. Besides, I don't feel that tired yet."

"Hey, that's what you say, but our web drama doesn't have a high rating and our promotional resources are poor..." Ma Wen said helplessly. "I originally planned to buy a few trending topics today to ride the 315 wave, but who would have thought everyone else would choose today too."

That was true. Lin Xing had already heard about it from Xiao Nan. Everything had indeed converged on today. Not to mention others, even that major influencer called "Old Wang Looks at Films" chose today. However, there was one silver lining. Usually, if this Old Wang were to criticize him like this... wait.

Thinking of this, Lin Xing suddenly laughed: "Mr. Ma, you can actually buy a trending topic, and we will cooperate with you."

"Which one?" Ma Wen asked hurriedly.

"There is an influencer on Weibo called 'Old Wang Looks at Films' who claims to be very neutral..." Lin Xing explained the situation.

Buying a trending topic for his own "hater." That seemed reasonable enough.