Chapter Forty: This Damned Plot Must Be Cursed

"It's here, it's here, it's finally here! Who would have believed it? I haven't watched television in ten years."
"Same here. But for Chen Chen, it's all worth it."
"Chen Chen looks so handsome right from the start. Look at his elegant gestures, even the way he drinks a glass of water is suave."
"Chu Chen piloting a plane is just too cool. And that scene where he meets Li Jingjing—what chemistry!"
...
The moment "Just Waiting for You" premiered at 8pm, many fans of Chu Chen were already glued to their screens, watching and simultaneously discussing the show on social media.
In recent years, most people have rarely watched TV, which is why many dramas now debut online before airing on traditional networks.
Alternatively, some, like "Just Waiting for You," air on TV as usual, but video platforms drop six episodes at once, with members getting early access.
Because of this, some of Chu Chen's fans were determined to boost his ratings by watching on TV—not just watching, but also promoting the show on social media to draw in more viewers.
Fans even imagined that their dedication would move their idol to tears—they were, after all, watching television for his sake.
By the time the first two episodes were nearing their end, the first wave of reactions had already hit the trending topics.
"Damn, Chu Chen is truly handsome! It's been so long since I've seen an idol drama like this. Every angle is perfection."
"I refuse to believe anyone hasn't watched 'Just Waiting for You' yet! This is the standard for idol dramas this year."
"The pilot and lawyer themes are actually quite impressive. After just two episodes, I'm hooked."
"As a neutral viewer, I think 'Just Waiting for You' is really good. Chu Chen's acting has definitely improved."
...
Anyone reading these first reactions could tell—unless they were utterly clueless—that there were hardly any genuine neutral viewers.
Either the posts were from marketing accounts, or they were made by fans.
After all, most working people barely have time to watch TV, and some of the so-called "996" crowd are still packed into the subway at this hour.
Most people only catch up on dramas online.
Sure enough, as soon as the two episodes finished airing on Tan Province Satellite TV, "EasyWatch Video" was ready to upload the series.
At 10pm, "Just Waiting for You" dropped six episodes at once on EasyWatch Video. Non-members could only view two episodes, while members could binge all six in one go.
Instantly, the bullet screen was flooded, mostly with fans—especially Chu Chen's.
Just as they convinced themselves that watching TV would help boost Chu Chen's ratings, they also believed that spamming the bullet screen would make more people like him.
But honestly, most people had only one thought in mind:
Hey! Bah!

Disgusting.
Utterly disgusting.
So some viewers simply turned off the bullet screen, though others continued watching and chatting.
"I mean, why does the plot seem so bizarre? That first meeting between Mei Lei and Du Wei in episode one felt way too forced."
"Is the imperial capital really that small? Even if Mei Lei and Du Wei are destined, does it have to be this coincidental?"
"Exactly, it's so contrived. Mei Lei just happens to show up at Du Wei's workplace, then the next meeting is conveniently in the park, and then—unbelievably—Mei Lei saves someone and bumps into Du Wei again. That's way too many coincidences for one episode."
"Even if that's not enough, that scene almost freaked me out—both of them showering at the same time, and suddenly, their reflections appear in each other's mirrors. Are the writers insane?"
...
As they watched and chatted, there was not only mockery but also envy and jealousy.
"Du Fei is such a good brother to his sister, his eyes are just brimming with love."
"Exactly, and Du Fei genuinely treats his sister well. He gives her a car just for starting a new job. I'm so envious."
"Not just a car, didn't you see he bought her an apartment too?"
"Who wouldn't want a brother like Du Fei?"
...
As the chatting continued, everyone gradually realized the plot wasn't as sweet as they'd imagined.
They knew, of course, that this was an idol drama.
Typically, idol dramas focus on sweet romances between the male and female leads; the workplace setting is just a backdrop.
Most of the time, it's about the love story, and everyone loves shipping the main couple.
But as the next few episodes unfolded, people became confused.
"I swear, I thought ten years ago Du Wei must have done something terrible to Mei Lei. Yet Mei Lei hates her with a passion, his aunt and uncle despise her, and his cousin thinks she's awful. But for what, exactly?"
"It's hilarious. Can the plot have at least a shred of logic? Mei Lei was a thug in high school, always acting tough, pestering Du Wei until she finally agreed to date him. Of course Du Wei's mother didn't approve."
"Exactly, never mind Du Wei's mom—if my daughter dated a delinquent, I'd break her legs."
...
The plot that followed was almost comical.
As the saying goes, even the most determined girl is no match for a persistent wolf.
What's more, Mei Lei seemed to fall for Du Wei at first sight back in high school.
From the director's point of view, it was love at first sight.

Mei Lei even followed Du Wei around.
If an unattractive guy did that, it would be blatant harassment—people would make a video calling him out.
But Du Wei and Mei Lei ended up dating. Du Wei went on to university, but Mei Lei, struggling with his studies, had to repeat a year.
Yet instead of focusing on school, Mei Lei spent his time taking Du Wei out to have fun, even bringing her to his aunt's house as if meeting the family.
In every way, he seemed unreliable—your typical bad boy.
Of course, bad boys are often popular with girls: they know how to have fun, they're emotionally intelligent, thick-skinned, and have a sweet tongue—in today's terms, a "player."
But do women really prefer players over nice guys?
It's the age-old question.
But Du Wei's mother would never let her daughter fall for a delinquent, so she forced them to break up.
That's right.
They broke up.
If, right after the breakup, Mei Lei and his aunt, uncle, and cousin resented Du Wei, it would make some sense.
But come on—it's been ten years.
Even ants would have moved on by now.
Yet they still hate Du Wei with a vengeance, acting as if she committed some unforgivable crime.
Let's just ask:
Is that reasonable?
Does it make sense?
By this point, the audience was left with nothing but question marks.
This absurd plot must be cursed.
...
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