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."
"..."
saw a female celebrity tied up and stuffed in the trunk! Little did he know, countless cameras were aimed at him at this moment - this was a new type of reality show. The first randomly selected passerby was caught in less than an hour. But when Xu Moru was selected, things started to take an unexpected turn. "Damn, this isn't how the script goes. This Xu Moru is too bold, he's not following the rules at all." "Crap, is this guy taking it seriously?" "The female celebrity has been scared to tears!"
grated, and just when he finally managed to get into an elite academy, he discovered that he actually had a system, and the way to earn rewards was extremely ridiculous. So for the sake of rewards, he had no choice but to start acting ridiculous as well. Su Cheng: "It's nothing but system quests after all." But later, what confused Su Cheng was that while he was already quite ridiculous, he never expected those serious characters to gradually become ridiculous too. And the way they looked at him became increasingly strange... (This synopsis doesn't do it justice, please read the full story)
for mindless slaughter, this isn't for you.] My name is Ye Shu, and I'm a transmigrator. It seems I'm supposed to be the protagonist, but that feels pretty unlikely. This world has been invaded by a system. The antagonists on the other side have suddenly become pure, flawless saints. The female leads have been force-fed the so-called "original plot," making them think they've been reborn. Now, everyone thinks I'm scum. Including the old lady in my ring. And here I am, in the Monster Beast Mountain Range, braising pork. To put my situation in perspective— It's as if, the moment Xiao Yan stepped into the Monster Beast Mountain Range, the Soul Emperor already knew he would become the Flame Emperor, and Yao Lao had been turned to the enemy's side. I have nothing right now. Oh wait, that's not true. I do have a white-haired loli child-bride who's the Heavenly Dao, and her only skill is acting cute. So, tell me guys... what are my chances of making it to the end?
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
