Chapter 137: Beaten Down Over and Over Again, It Truly Feels Deliberate

Tonight was just a small get-together for everyone, as well as a modest celebration since it wasn't quite time for the official victory banquet yet.

With only a few days left until the finale of *Portrait of a Killer*, the true celebration would have to wait until the drama concluded entirely.

For now, promotion remained the top priority.

Liu Zhou didn't have to tell Wei Fei to go easy on the drinks; Wei Fei had no intention of overindulging either.

Tomorrow was the very first office tour for *Portrait of a Killer* since its premiere, and even someone as experienced as Wei Fei felt a flutter of excitement and anticipation.

For actors, an office tour represented crucial exposure.

Why else would so many actors be so eager to tour Sina's headquarters?

During a drama's broadcast run, an actor visiting Sina was a mutually beneficial arrangement.

Sina got the trending topics and user engagement, while the actors secured valuable visibility.

However, as mentioned before, Sina wasn't going to roll out the red carpet for just any nobody. Many actors had to wait in a very long queue just for the chance.

If *Portrait of a Killer* hadn't blown up the way it did today, securing an office tour for tomorrow would have been completely out of the question.

Zhou Wei, Lu Quan, Ning Rong, and Li Chuang were all buzzing with excitement tonight.

Take Zhou Wei, for instance. He had just mentioned earlier that he finally understood what it felt like to truly "blow up," all because a sudden handful of promising scripts had come his way, including offers for the male lead role.

That was simply how realistic the industry was.

Once a drama took off—even before reaching absolute blockbuster status—production crews would immediately reach out with offers.

Speed was the name of the game.

Many industry insiders believed *Portrait of a Killer* would climb even higher in the ratings. Therefore, besides Lin Xing, it was only natural for the other male lead, Zhou Wei, to ride the momentum upward.

Aside from Zhou Wei, although Lu Quan, Ning Rong, and Li Chuang hadn't received immediate script offers quite yet, the mere fact that they could participate in tomorrow's Sina office tour was a victory in its own right.

"Brother Xing, I'd like to propose a toast to you as well."

Ning Rong raised his glass, looking at Lin Xing with genuine gratitude.

"Hold it right there."

Lin Xing chuckled. "With you guys taking turns to toast me, are you trying to get me drunk?"

Good grief.

First came Ma Wen, then Wang义, followed by Liu Zhou, then Wei Fei, and now Zhou Wei had started up again.

Drink after drink.

Lin Xing felt that if this kept up, he might actually end up dead drunk tonight.

"Brother Xing, just drink as much as you like, whatever you're comfortable with," Ning Rong hurriedly said. "We're all counting on you tomorrow."

Zhou Wei chimed in, "Yeah, Ah Xing, just tell us how to handle the office tour tomorrow, and that's what we'll do."

The others were relatively calm, but Ning Rong and Zhou Wei had accompanied Lin Xing to the recording of *Tonight's Drama is Play*, an experience that had left a profound impression on both of them.

It was just a variety show appearance, yet Teacher Lin went to such lengths!

And by "going to lengths," they didn't just mean working hard; they meant the meticulous preparation Lin Xing had put into the show.

It had covered every single detail imaginable.

That was why Ning Rong and Zhou Wei felt that when it came to the Sina office tour tomorrow, following Lin Xing's lead was the beginning and end of it.

Wherever Lin Xing pointed, they would charge.

Naturally, no one else had any objections to this plan.

They only had to look back at the office tour for *Anti-Mafia Storm* to know: Lin Xing had absolute star power during those events.

Even Sina executives remarked that Lin Xing had broken their records for office tour engagement.

Otherwise, why would Sina have explicitly told Ma Wen when she inquired about a tour, "If you want to come, Lin Xing has to be there. With Lin Xing, we can talk."

"That's right, Ah Xing, please take charge of tomorrow's Sina tour," Ma Wen said to Lin Xing as well. "Among all of us, you're the only one who has done this before, so you'll have to steer the rhythm of the event."

"One more thing, Ah Xing, during the interviews, you'll need to keep a close eye on her and pull her back if necessary." Liu Zhou turned to look at Wei Fei as he spoke. "Feifei, you must mind your words and actions tomorrow."

Wei Fei rolled her eyes playfully. "Old Liu, do you really want me to dump this drink over your head? Are you ever going to drop it?"

"Fine, fine, I won't say another word," Liu Zhou conceded, signaling that she was the boss and he surrendered.

However, once the gathering broke up, Liu Zhou pulled Lin Xing aside privately. "Ah Xing, your Sister Fei often speaks without a filter during interviews. Please remember to run interference for her tomorrow."

Clearly, Liu Zhou knew his wife's personality all too well. To put it nicely, she was straightforward; to put it bluntly, she had low emotional intelligence, possessing a brain that seemingly only functioned when it came to acting skills.

More often than not, media reporters and gossip bloggers loved to take things out of context.

Under different conversational contexts, the meaning of a single sentence could change drastically.

That was precisely why Liu Zhou felt compelled to remind Lin Xing one more time.

Putting everything else aside, based on his interactions with Lin Xing throughout the filming of *Portrait of a Killer*, Liu Zhou genuinely believed Lin Xing possessed exceptionally high emotional intelligence.

Even Wei Fei herself had predicted that Lin Xing was destined for massive success.

Everyone present was far from foolish. Given Lin Xing's dedication to his craft, his adept handling of interpersonal relationships, and his high emotional intelligence in navigating various situations, an artist like him wouldn't just thrive in the entertainment industry—he would succeed in any profession.

"Ah Xing, our entire crew is in your hands tomorrow."

Ma Wen walked over, her steps a little hazy from the alcohol. "Please!"

"Ah Xing, we'll drink properly together at the victory banquet later," Wang Yi said, completely tipsy by now.

Just think about it: before *Portrait of a Killer*, Wang Yi had never written a police procedural or crime thriller before. He had spent three years writing this script. From the very beginning, nobody believed in it. Through the production preparations, filming, wrapping up, and scheduling the premiere, many people had been convinced that this drama was destined to tank.

Of course, not many people had directed their anger at the screenwriter, because anyone who actually watched *Portrait of a Killer* found it quite good. It wasn't like *The Correct Way to Open Independence*, where viewers had already started fiercely cursing the screenwriter online.

Still, as a writer, one's work was like a child carried in the womb for ten months. To finally bring it into the world only for it to be met with total indifference—how could Wang Yi possibly have been happy?

He knew how to comfort himself, of course; as Wei Fei had said, simply getting the drama broadcast was already a victory.

But saying it was one thing; who could truly remain completely unbothered?

One only had to look at the reactions of Wei Fei, Ma Wen, and Liu Zhou after *Portrait of a Killer* suddenly blew up to understand.

They were all the same.

For Wang Yi, he was already immensely satisfied with where *Portrait of a Killer* stood right now. Whatever level the drama reached from this point on, he could readily accept it.

His modest goal had already been achieved.

Consequently, Wang Yi was undoubtedly the most relaxed person at the table tonight.

Promotional duties didn't fall on his shoulders as a screenwriter anyway.

From the anxiety of the poor ratings during the first two days after the premiere, all the way up to the current explosion of viewership a week in, Wang Yi's emotional state had been like riding a roller coaster.

Right now, it was pure bliss.

"Ah Xing, at the victory banquet, we're going to drink until we drop!"

Wang Yi shouted loudly to Lin Xing as he finally departed.

"See you tomorrow, Ah Xing."

"See you tomorrow, Brother Xing."

"See you tomorrow, Ah Xing."

...

Wei Fei, Ning Rong, Zhou Wei, and the others left one after another.

Lin Xing finally got into his car as well.

"Brother Xing, drink a bottle of yogurt first."

Xiao Nan hurriedly handed over a bottle of yogurt she had just bought.

"Have you guys eaten yet?"

Lin Xing asked caringly as he took it.

Xiao Nan smiled and replied, "Brother Zhao and I grabbed a bite at a restaurant nearby earlier."

"Good, thank you for your hard work. Brother Zhao, let's drop Xiao Nan off at home first," Lin Xing instructed the driver, Old Zhao.

"Brother Xing, then Brother Zhao and I will pick you up together tomorrow," Xiao Nan said after arriving at her residential complex. "We'll follow the same schedule as last time—live streaming starts at 10:00 AM. Brother Zhao and I will pick you up at 7:00 AM so we can head straight to Sina for the pre-interview."

"Alright, I understand. Hurry up and go get some rest," Lin Xing replied.

Once Xiao Nan disappeared into the neighborhood, Lin Xing told Old Zhao, "Let's go, Brother Zhao."

It was already 11:00 PM by the time Lin Xing reached home.

Wei Fei: *Did everyone get home safe?*

Zhou Wei: *Just got home. See you tomorrow, Sister Fei.*

Ning Rong: *I just arrived too. See you all tomorrow.*

...

This wasn't the main cast and crew group chat for *Portrait of a Killer*; this smaller group only included the main leads, director Liu Zhou, and screenwriter Wang Yi.

It was an unwritten rule that a production crew usually had more than one chat group.

Lin Xing replied in the chat as well: *Just got home. See you all tomorrow.*

The next day.

"User engagement for *Portrait of a Killer* firmly holds the number one spot in its time slot, while word-of-mouth praise remains proudly at the top."

"Both ratings and reputation for *Portrait of a Killer* are securely holding high positions. Waiting for the celebration banquet!"

"Standing by for the victory banquet. Hoping *Portrait of a Killer* can climb even higher."

...

The main group chat for *Portrait of a Killer* was bustling with activity.

Previously, this group chat had felt somewhat like a high school alumni group—once graduation was over, nobody really chatted anymore, save for the occasional random message from one or two people.

Later on, because the premiere response for *Portrait of a Killer* had been lackluster, the group chat had grown even quieter.

However, as the drama's performance began to skyrocket, the chat grew livelier by the day.

Especially since yesterday, when *Portrait of a Killer*'s popularity exploded, and Ma Wen announced in the group that the Sina office tour was just the first step, with more promotional opportunities lined up for the other cast members as well.

That changed the dynamic instantly.

They were all minor players until now; the chance to increase their exposure naturally got everyone thrilled.

Besides, Ma Wen had promised that all the actors would get a chance to participate in the promotional blitz.

When a drama blew up, aside from the top-billed leads eating meat, the supporting actors got to drink the broth too.

Because of this, the various actors of *Portrait of a Killer* had been posting on Weibo very diligently over the past couple of days.

More importantly, yesterday's broadcast of the *Domestic Violence Counter-Kill Case* had elevated the audience discussions to a whole new level.

This particular case only lasted a little over an episode, but both its plotting and pacing were executed with absolute crispness and efficiency.

To put it simply: the initial suspect, Fang Min, voluntarily confessed that she had fled to Beijiang City to escape severe domestic abuse by her husband. She hadn't expected him to track her down, leaving her with no choice but to kill him in self-defense.

It seemed like a textbook case of self-defense.

Immediately afterward, the dead man's mistress came forward to identify the body. She claimed she had been deceived by the man, who had hidden the fact that he was married when they got together. Now that she was pregnant and wanted a proper name for her child, she had tried to track down Fang Min to talk, only to discover the husband dead.

Her explanation sounded entirely logical.

Yet, Inspector Guan Feng—played by Lin Xing in the drama—discovered that this mistress was similarly hyper-sensitive to loud noises.

Simply put, she too had been subjected to domestic abuse.

In the end, the mystery was unraveled: this was actually a joint counter-attack executed by the wife and the mistress against the abusive husband.

Because the mistress was pregnant and wanted to escape the abuser for the sake of her child, she had sought out the wife. The wife had originally been pregnant as well, but the abuser had beaten her so severely that she suffered a miscarriage and was left permanently infertile.

Driven by this shared trauma, the wife decided to team up with the mistress and take the full blame upon herself.

The tightly knit plot spanning just over an episode was suffocatingly intense. Compared to the *Screenwriter Murder Case*, this storyline felt even more oppressive.

An abusive man had destroyed the lives of two women.

Because the case hit uncomfortably close to reality—where countless women in real life failed to leave abusive partners due to relentless threats, and more crucially, because calling the police often felt entirely useless—it struck a deep chord.

It was women helping women, manifested through the alliance of a wife and a mistress.

Compare that to the wife and mistress teaming up in *The Correct Way to Open Independence*—what kind of nonsense was that?

It completely lacked any internal logic.

Yet look at the wife and mistress teaming up in *Portrait of a Killer*: it was logically sound, grippingly tense, and the genuine emotional resonance between the two women truly embodied the concept of "women helping women."

Unlike many modern works that merely paid lip service to the idea of women helping women, mostly just cashing in on trending topics and milking dividends.

"I honestly suspect *Portrait of a Killer* is doing this on purpose???"

"Hahaha, right? It feels like every single case in *Portrait of a Killer* perfectly exposes *The Correct Way to Open Independence* as utter trash."

"Yesterday, *The Correct Way to Open Independence* was still plotting divorce schemes over there, and the mistress stabbed the housewife in the back over money. It was just meandering nonsense from start to finish. Then you look at *Portrait of a Killer*, which has zero filler."

...

"It's honestly too damn coincidental. It feels as if the two production teams planned it together."

"If I were part of the production team for *The Correct Way to Open Independence*, I'd probably be coughing up blood right now."

...

Lin Xing glanced first at the discussion in the *Portrait of a Killer* group chat, then checked the trending discussions on Weibo.

He concluded that netizens were truly talented.

You wouldn't notice unless you thought about it, but *Portrait of a Killer* and *The Correct Way to Open Independence* genuinely felt like they were locked in a deliberate duel. And what nobody expected was a web drama repeatedly thrashing a prime-time television broadcast.

In a word: it was purely a coincidence.

There was no grand conspiracy behind it.

Netizens naturally knew this, but they still loved putting *Portrait of a Killer* and *The Correct Way to Open Independence* side by side for comparison.

For no other reason than to relentlessly drag the latter through the mud.

Stopping his online doomscrolling after receiving a WeChat message from Xiao Nan, Lin Xing stepped right out his front door.

"Brother Xing, scallion pancakes with two eggs and ham, but no spicy strips."

Xiao Nan hurried over as she spotted Lin Xing stepping out by the car. "And soy milk, no sugar."

......

*(End of Chapter)*