Superstar Lin Zhi

At the end of June.

As Young Master Cao had predicted, the secondary market hit an unshakable bottom at 1850.

It dipped to 1849.65… and then began rebounding.

Some institutions still wanted to prove Young Master Cao wrong and kept pushing it down.

But alas…

The trend was irreversible.

This rebound shot straight from 1850 back to 1950…

The market sentiment shifted dramatically.

No longer swayed by individual will.

The rally had begun!

Once again, he ascended to godlike status.

Young Master Cao had pulled off another flawless act, reaping not just emotional dividends but also a surge of trust.

This added even more "believers" for the battles ahead.

A perfect setup.

……

Late June.

Also marked the finale and awards ceremony of Detective Season 1.

Total views surpassed a billion, a jaw-dropping figure.

Especially the ratings.

On every review platform, it scored no less than 9 out of 10.

A resounding success in both reputation and performance.

Insiders knew this view count was just the beginning—future numbers would soar, along with licensing fees and endorsement deals multiplying over tenfold.

Starting with the trailer in March, by April, just four episodes in, views had already crossed 100 million.

By May, it hit 400 million.

Early June, 600 million.

By the season finale at June’s end—a billion!

The growth curve made it clear that breaking 2 billion within the year wouldn’t be hard. With such acclaim, fan-driven promotion alone could fuel the fire.

The show’s comment section overflowed with reluctance.

As the progress bar dwindled, the comments multiplied.

The King of Deduction (Human Lighthouse): Teacher Sa.

The Search Master: Teacher He.

The Search Hound: Guigui.

The Intuition Goddess: Sister Lin.

The Lich King: Little Zhangwei.

……

Each had earned many nicknames, with fans interpreting them in their own ways.

Even Guigui, dubbed the "Search Hound," was also called the "Energetic Girl" by some—sometimes even more lively than Sister Lin.

No helping it—Guigui was the comic relief.

Sister Lin only needed to be her stunning self to captivate.

And then there was Sister Lin, the foodie. She genuinely loved eating, so Cao Cheng let her indulge—snacking on set props, whatever she craved, no worries about dieting.

This season, she’d indeed munched through quite a few props.

Gotta stick to a persona, right?

These days, that’s what audiences love.

As long as it’s not faking a degree, it’s unlikely to backfire.

……

Finally.

Amid a flurry of virtual confetti, Season 1 officially concluded.

Countless fans felt a void.

Some rewatched the trailer immediately.

Others scoured fan communities for screenshots and clips.

Those who hadn’t followed Weibo now rushed to follow their favorites.

In short,

That night was electric—at least among Detective fans, many couldn’t sleep.

In just three months, the show had become their pillar, their weekly dose of joy.

They knew it would end someday.

But when that day arrived, the reluctance hit hard.

Thankfully, the crew released photos—finale group shots, wrap party snaps.

……

Lin Zhi’s Weibo also flooded with party pics—group photos with every cast member.

And one of Sister Lin mid-bite.

"Sister Lin is so sweet." 9.8k likes.

"The goddess is breathtaking…" 9.5k likes!

"So adorable when eating—but how does she not gain weight?"

"My little sister’s prepping for art school auditions, starving herself daily—it’s heartbreaking. How does Sister Lin stay slim? Genetics?"

Sister Lin replied: "Of course I gain weight! But I train. Can’t torture my stomach, right? Plus, I’ve got @YoungMasterCao’s herbal tea—works like diet tea, no side effects."

"Wow, Sister Lin replied to me!"

"What’s this herbal tea?"

"In an earlier episode, Teacher Sa asked if she worried about weight, and she mentioned the tea. I didn’t pay attention then."

"@YoungMasterCao, hoarding the good stuff, huh? Put it up for sale already!"

"Is this ‘sale’ legit?"

"@YoungMasterCao! What’s the tea?"

"@YoungMasterCao! Ignore them—they’re just haters."

"You’re the harshest one here (facepalm)."

……

The tea talk faded quickly, overshadowed by Sister Lin’s charm.

She replied to almost every top comment now.

It was all new to her.

Her account had been managed by her agent, her phone held by assistants—days packed with scripts, personas, shows, detective novels. No time for social media.

Now, with the season wrapped, she finally got her phone back.

Her agent’s advice: "Think before you post."

Lin Zhi nodded.

This was her first real fan interaction, and she found it thrilling—replying to every kind comment.

‘Veteran’ fans noticed the shift.

Three months might not seem long, but they were her earliest followers.

"Odd—Sister Lin used to be so aloof, barely replying. What’s got her so cheerful today?" 4k+ likes.

Sister Lin replied: "I was busy! Weekly role prep, memorizing backstories—thick stacks of it. Plus dance, vocals, acting drills. No time for the internet. Got my phone back after the finale—before, my agent or assistant handled it."

"Poor Sister Lin."

"Ohhh, makes sense."

"Thought she was icy, but she’s just a goofball."

"Sounds exhausting—so much to learn?"

"Everyone on Detective had intricate roles and timelines. Rewatching, it’s impressive."

"No wonder the show’s so good—everyone gave their all."

"Detective is legendary."

"Sister Lin is the prettiest."

"……"

……

That night.

Sister Lin chatted till dawn.

The hashtag #CelebAndFanFiveHourChat trended.

Fans of other stars came to spectate.

In this era, such "down-to-earth" celebrities were rare.

Even in later years, few matched this vibe.

Instantly, Sister Lin’s public appeal skyrocketed.

Strangers found her beautiful, adorable, kind…

Not sure where the "kind" came from.

Next morning.

Lin Zhi posted a close-up—no makeup, bedhead.

But youth conquered all.

Caption: "Slept too late because of you guys. Look at this puffiness… Back to the company today. If my agent sees this, I’m meat-free for a week. All your fault… (angry)(angry)!"

"……"

"Speechless."

"Yep, our bad, totally our bad."

"Yes, I was wrong, hahaha."

"This natural beauty is unbeatable, no signs of plastic surgery—absolutely stunning."

"Sister Lin's divine looks are unmatched."

"Where's the swelling? I don't see it."

"I don’t see it either. She looks as gorgeous as ever, maybe even prettier without makeup."

"Saving this pic to my phone. Gonna tell everyone she’s my girlfriend."

"Have you no shame?"

"How dare you save my girlfriend’s photo on your phone?"

"Ugh, gross~~"

Along with the praise and admiration, some fans offered advice, suggesting she skip work for the day and lay low.

Others recommended indulging in good food now—even if she couldn’t eat meat for the next week, at least she’d have her fill today.

This idea was particularly constructive, and Sister Lin replied with a thumbs-up: "I’ll do just that."

...

Noon.

Lin Zhi’s flight landed back in Zhonghai. Surprisingly, without any organized effort, nearly fifty fans showed up to greet her at the airport.

Lin Zhi was startled: "Hello, hello!"

"Sister Lin, you’re breathtaking!"

"Sister Lin, I love you!"

"Thank you, thank you..."

Flustered, Lin Zhi hurriedly fled the scene, looking like a startled deer.

The photos were quickly uploaded by fans, who tagged her.

Sister Lin responded instantly: "Just got in the car. You guys really scared me! I never expected anyone to come pick me up, but there were so many of you… You’re gonna blow my cover. My manager will definitely find out now. I was planning to treat myself to something delicious tonight, but it’s over—I’m doomed~~~"

"Pfft!"

"No wonder Sister Lin ran off so fast..."

"I thought she was just shy around so many people, but turns out she was trying to escape."

"HAHAHA..."

"This is hilarious."

Soon,

Lin Zhi returned to the Eco Park.

At the entrance, she snapped a photo for her fans, captioning it: "Home sweet home. My dance crew sisters all live here. I just realized my manager probably won’t come to the Eco Park unless Young Master Cao calls her, so I’m hiding out here for now. No plans to leave anyway. Oh, and… wanna meet my sisters?"

"Yes!"

"Deal!"

"Sister Lin is too kind—she knows exactly what we love. Treating us like family."

"Every day, I envy Young Master Cao a little more."

"Can we catch a glimpse of Young Master Cao at the Eco Park?"

Lin Zhi replied: "Nope. He doesn’t come every day—only occasionally to check on the research institute’s progress. He’s super busy. I’ve lived here for over six months and barely seen him."

This was clearly a lie.

But she knew exactly what to share and what to keep private.

Lin Zhi also avoided filming any detailed glimpses of the Eco Park’s interior.

She hopped on a small electric cart and headed back to her dance studio.

Moments later,

she posted a dazzling group selfie.

In the photo, Sister Lin held the selfie stick high at the center, surrounded by a dozen stunning, graceful sisters—each uniquely captivating.

A closer look revealed they all had the charm of campus beauties.

"Wow..."

"A den of enchantresses! Mom, I’ve fallen into a den of enchantresses!"

"What den? This is the Kingdom of Women!"

"I admire Tang Sanzang for resisting such temptation. If it were me, I’d sprint straight to the Kingdom of Women and never leave."

"..."