The next day, at Lin Ran's insistent request, Luo Yao stayed at the manor to recuperate.
The manor was bathed in bright sunlight, adding a touch of spring to the cold season, as if everything was celebrating Luo Yao's recovery.
Today was also the release day of the short drama. Lin Ran and Luo Yao lay on the villa's couch, ready to watch it together.
Lin Ran was full of anticipation, confident in the short drama he had helped produce. Luo Yao, on the other hand, looked indifferent. She had no interest in Lin Ran's project, thinking to herself, What could these people possibly come up with?
To her, this was just another way for her man to pass the time.
But since accompanying Lin Ran was something she loved doing, she went along with it.
At first, Luo Yao watched half-heartedly, but as the drama progressed, she realized something was off.
This… this is so cheesy, but I can’t stop watching!
The plot was somewhat clichéd, yet it had a unique charm. The actors' performances weren’t outstanding, but they were strangely addictive, pulling her in with every scene.
The more she watched, the more hooked she became. Even someone as aloof as Luo Yao was drawn into Lin Ran’s creation.If even Luo Yao was captivated, one could only imagine how the rest of the internet would react.
In fact, from the moment it premiered, viewers had flooded in.
But not everyone was watching. Many had initially reserved spots simply because of the hype, without high expectations for the content.Follow current novᴇls on NovᴇlFir(e).nᴇt
After all, Lin Ran was wealthy, and in the public’s eyes, projects backed by the ultra-rich often fell short.
Nuanyao Group had no prior experience in film production. The short drama’s only selling points were A-list actress Chen Qingtian and the buzz around Nuanyao’s CEO.
Those drawn by the hype naturally didn’t expect much from the actual content.
[Dreaming of Lin Ran as My Simp]: Just watch casually, folks. I bet the content is trash.
[Whose Bull is Brave Enough]: Here to check out Lin Ran’s luxurious manor.
[Handsome Novelist]: Same, here for the manor and a glimpse of Queen Qingtian’s divine beauty.
[Soccer Son Making Progress]: Why does the male lead feel so unworthy of Qingtian?
[Rebirth of the Runaway Fourth Son]: I hate nothing more than garbage churned out by capitalists.
But as time passed, the comments took a dramatic turn.
People realized that this short drama, featuring no big names besides Chen Qingtian, exploded like an atomic bomb, leaving everyone who had underestimated it stunned.
The view count for the first three episodes skyrocketed from tens of thousands to millions within hours. By noon, it had surpassed ten million.
Online reactions poured in like a tidal wave.
[Tiger Slams the Door]: Holy crap, update faster! What’s Nuanyao Media doing? This is way too addictive.
[Howling Neighbor]: I admit I was too harsh earlier. Now all I can say is, I’m a trash panda and I love it—update now!
[Failed Again This Life]: Wait, this is a short drama? The production’s rough, but the content’s insane. I’m obsessed.
[Mad Dog Bites Your JJ]: Only three episodes a day? Even dogs can’t tolerate this.
[Mr. Cao’s Red Chamber Lit]: I have a suggestion—tie the producer to a chainsaw table. For every episode released, move them one meter away. If updates slow down… well, let’s just say things get messy.
[Stick Pokes the Sun]: If you’re not dropping a hundred episodes a day, are you even a producer? Trash.
Whether the comments were praise or rage, the hype was unprecedented.
Other media companies producing serious short dramas were shocked. They’d never imagined a short drama could be made this way. The unconventional style and bizarrely addictive content left them feeling immense pressure.
Just then, Lin Ran’s call went straight to Nuanyao Media’s office.
"Hello, this is Lin Ran. What’s Wu Zhishang doing? Why isn’t he answering his phone?"
The receptionist quickly whispered an explanation, "Chairman Lin, Director Wu’s number got leaked. His phone’s been blowing up all morning, so he put it on silent."
Her voice was weary—she was just as overwhelmed by the sudden chaos.
Lin Ran paused, instantly realizing the reason.
He knew the short drama was popular, but he hadn’t expected this level of frenzy.
"Fine. Go tell him to send me the full series. My wife wants to watch it. Three episodes a day? Who’s satisfied with that?"
Lin Ran just wanted to indulge his wife’s curiosity—was that so wrong?
The receptionist hesitated, then muttered,
"Chairman Lin… you’re not the one leading the hate mob online, are you?"
She was suspicious—his demands sounded eerily similar to the rabid fans.
Lin Ran’s face darkened.
"I’m not that bored. My wife just wants to watch. Hurry up and arrange it."
He was exasperated. The last thing he wanted was to be mistaken for one of those unreasonable viewers.
"Chairman Lin, that’s… not really appropriate."
"Should I fire you to make it appropriate?"
"Understood, Chairman Lin. But Director Wu said even the heavens don’t get special treatment."
Lin Ran was genuinely annoyed now. Wasn’t he, the boss, entitled to some privileges?
"Kid, you’re stubborn. Go tell Wu Zhishang I asked. Let’s see if he denies me."
"Right away, Chairman Lin."
The receptionist hurried off to relay the message.
Meanwhile, in his office, Wu Zhishang wasn’t the least bit bothered by his phone’s meltdown. On the contrary, he was thrilled.
Sitting at his desk, he wore a triumphant grin.
With this level of hype, even if ten of his phones exploded, it’d be worth it.
The drama’s popularity had surged beyond expectations, and the potential profits were staggering.
Though it was free to watch, the indirect revenue was immeasurable. A quick calculation showed they’d already raked in a fortune from ad revenue alone.
With this momentum, Nuanyao Group might even break into the second-tier media companies—a monumental achievement for him.
That morning, at least two major brands had already reached out for endorsement deals, a golden opportunity for the company’s growth.
As the short drama went viral, Wu Zhishang’s fame soared too. He was second only to Chen Qingtian in endorsement requests.
There were also offers for Zhang Xiaolong and others, but Wu Zhishang turned them all down—the products were just too bizarre.
Chen Qingtian’s offers were standard—women’s products.
But his? Skincare serums, flavored condoms, hemorrhoid cream, antifungal socks… and even a request to model women’s clothing.
The worst was a lip-twisting gadget endorsement.
These offers left him torn between laughter and frustration—they were downright absurd.