This TV Series Ignited a Province's Tourism Industry

Before the small talk could last much longer, Shen Xinran couldn't wait to get straight to the point.

It was about the new hypnosis system.

She wanted to become his apprentice.

Cao Cheng had some knowledge of hypnosis and could be considered a master.

Teaching others was second nature to him.

But...

Why should he teach her?

He couldn’t just do it purely out of respect for Sister Li, could he?

Hmm.

Maybe halfway.

After all, Shen Xinran was close to Sister Li and had genuinely helped her, even delaying the progression of Sister Li’s illness.

That was crucial.

Over the years, Cao Cheng and Sister Li had practically become family. As family, showing gratitude was only natural.

After a brief pause, Cao Cheng nodded. "You want to learn? I can teach you."

Shen Xinran’s face lit up with surprise. She hadn’t expected Cao Cheng to agree so easily.

After his initial refusal to meet, coupled with her recent struggles, she had assumed he would be like most experts—guarding his knowledge jealously.

Or that she’d have to pay some price to learn.

After all,

knowledge had always been a valuable asset.

In ancient times, aristocratic families monopolized it.

In modern times, though knowledge was theoretically public, many techniques, insights, and specialized skills remained closely guarded.

They were rarely passed on to outsiders.

Especially practical skills—those that could put food on the table required serious dedication.

So when Cao Cheng casually said, "You want to learn? I can teach you," Shen Xinran was stunned for a few seconds.

Even Sister Li was surprised. Since when was her fifth brother this easygoing?

This was the same fifth brother who would squeeze oil out of a toad—someone who couldn’t sleep soundly unless he gained some advantage.

And yet...

Huh.

Was it because Shen Xinran was pretty?

Sister Li gave Cao Cheng a puzzled glance, then looked at Shen Xinran again.

True, Shen Xinran was beautiful, but everyone in their family was attractive.

Besides, Shen Xinran had been married before—and divorced.

Probably not the reason.

Also,

was there an unspoken "but" coming?

The agreement had been too straightforward.

Shen Xinran thought the same. After waiting a few seconds without hearing a "but" or "however," she couldn’t help asking, "Do I need to give anything in return?"

Cao Cheng shook his head with a smile. "No need. Consider it thanks for helping Sister Li before."

Shen Xinran picked up her wine glass and stood. "In that case, thank you in advance, Master."

After the toast,

she took a small gift box from her bag and handed it to Cao Cheng. "This is a token of respect for my teacher. Please accept it."

Judging by the size of the box, it was likely jewelry or a watch.

Cao Cheng took it and nodded. "Then I won’t stand on ceremony. Next time, arrange a meeting at the eco-park."

"Understood."

No one found the title "Master" inappropriate.

Though Cao Cheng was likely the youngest—three or four years her junior—

in the pursuit of knowledge, the master was the one with the skill.

Since she was seeking instruction, humility was only natural.

...

The dinner went more smoothly than expected.

No complications arose.

After the meal, they set a time, and Shen Xinran left in high spirits.

Only Cao Cheng and Sister Li remained in the car.

Sister Li looked at him warmly. "Thank you."

This gratitude was twofold.

First, for giving her face.

The Ren family had once been merchants—barely more than white-glove operators in the eyes of the Shen family.

If not for Ren's mother’s connection with the Shen matriarch, the younger generations would never have mingled.

Sister Li wasn’t desperate for validation in front of Shen Xinran, but Cao Cheng’s repeated emphasis that he agreed to meet and teach solely out of respect for her had undeniably boosted her pride.

Second, it was an apology.

She understood the hierarchy of relationships.

No matter how close she was to Shen Xinran, Cao Cheng was family.

Naturally, she was closer to him.

But seeing Shen Xinran after so long had stirred her emotions, and when Shen Xinran asked to meet Cao Cheng, she hadn’t thought much of it.

Only later did she realize—

if the fifth brother had refused, there must have been a reason.

What had she done by intervening?

There were unspoken rules in social interactions, and someone of Sister Li’s temperament would normally never meddle in such matters.

Wasn’t this just creating unnecessary trouble for her own family?

No matter how she looked at it, it was wrong.

But in the moment, she hadn’t considered it. The call had already been made, and she couldn’t take it back.

Moreover, Cao Cheng had handled the situation impeccably, always siding with her, which only deepened her guilt.

Even though he showed no displeasure and even agreed to teach Shen Xinran hypnosis—seemingly resolving everything—she knew she hadn’t handled it well.

"What’s there to thank me for?" Cao Cheng looked genuinely puzzled, as if completely unaware of the social minefield.

"For giving me face. And... I’m sorry for making arrangements without consulting you first." Sister Li’s cheeks were slightly flushed—whether from the wine or the apology was unclear.

Apologies weren’t something she often made.

Her actions were usually well-considered.

She rarely made missteps.

Cao Cheng chuckled. "It’s nothing. Just give me a massage later."

Sister Li smiled. "Deal."

...

...

"The Ranking of Good and Evil" had been airing for over half a month.

The plot was past its midpoint.

Though broadcast across multiple platforms—both offline and online—its TV ratings and online viewership surpassed all previous historical dramas.

The term "political intrigue" was on everyone’s lips.

Though there were a few detractors, they were insignificant against the show’s overwhelming success.

Honestly, even Cao Cheng hadn’t expected this level of reception.

Based on his dream memories, the drama had made an impact, but nothing this explosive.

It was almost as if the streets were empty when it aired.

Unbelievable!

But on reflection, it made sense.

The budget was different.

The cast had been revamped—no filler actors, only skilled performers.

The production team didn’t cut corners.

Everyone did their job flawlessly.

Then there was the nostalgia factor—the reunion of the "Chinese Paladin" cast.

And the sheer star power of the "Fairy Fat Immortal"...

Sure, she had flopped in eleven movies over a decade, but the moment she switched to TV, she dominated.

It was an unstoppable bug.

She had an innate aura as a small-screen heroine.

Transitioning from film to TV? Instant queen.

No logic to it.

In his memories, a few years later, she starred in a travel drama—something about a windy place.

The plot was simple, the dialogue plain, the romance straightforward, the opening clichéd.

Yet it became a hit?

She single-handedly carried the show.

Frankly, no other actress—no matter how famous—could have pulled that off.

It might even flop.

But how popular was this drama?

To put it simply, tourism that same year exploded.

The annual total tourism revenue exceeded 160 billion, a year-on-year increase of over 100%.

As for holidays like Labor Day and National Day, the number of tourists surged by more than 200% compared to the previous year.

Even that little courtyard was fully commercialized—Windy Courtyard…

Later, it also boosted tourism across the entire province, achieving unprecedented growth.

And this growth was achieved despite countless shady tour guides dragging things down.

If not for those unscrupulous guides, the numbers would’ve skyrocketed even more.

In short, one person made a drama popular, the drama made a city famous, and the city influenced an entire province.

It was unstoppable.

So…

Coming back to the point.

With her involvement, The Untamed Heroes naturally soared to new heights. Its success was beyond Cao Cheng’s expectations, yet it made perfect sense.

If she didn’t have that small-screen appeal, why would Cao Cheng have signed her in the first place?

Just for fun?

No way.

And it was clear that The Untamed Heroes production team had been sharing tons of photos.

The drama continued to drive tourist traffic to the filming location.

Fans flocked there for photo ops.

Original costumes and props were rented out by the studio, and images of fans dressed in character outfits—bowing, saluting, or kneeling—flooded social media.

This, in turn, boosted the show’s ratings even further.

It became a cultural phenomenon.

There was also good news from overseas exports.

Of course, the series was also submitted for various awards.

This year…

The Untamed Heroes was destined to shine so brightly it would blind the competition.

Some actresses who had been trash-talking earlier were now lying low, too scared to show their faces.

This industry is full of smart people.

They knew all too well that in the face of such overwhelming momentum, even if they ganged up to attack the "Fairy of Abundance," they’d gain nothing.

Unless they resorted to underhanded tactics.

But would they dare?

No.

Their agencies wouldn’t dare either.

Not unless they wanted to burn all bridges with Miracle Media.

……

After half a month since The Untamed Heroes premiered, the cast and crew finally got some rest.

Everyone was glowing with success.

Some were from Cao Cheng’s company, others from partner agencies—like Brother Hu.

But it was all about mutual benefit.

Sister Li was well-versed in this game.

She had connections with top agents and CEOs across the industry—that was her job.

Trading favors.

Just like how Yin Xiaotian had left his former company with a single word and joined Miracle Media.

That was a favor from Sister Wang, and in return, Sister Li would offer something back.

The same went for Brother Hu this time. As the lead, he brought massive profits to his agency, so they’d have to reciprocate later.

No exceptions.

Cao Cheng had already made it clear—the girl from the Western Regions would be joining Miracle Media soon.

In exchange,

the rights and roles for The Untamed Heroes: Part 2 would be open to them. In other words, they could push more of their people into the project and invest more to secure a bigger slice of the profits.

Given the momentum of the first installment, no one in the industry could resist such an offer.

And all they had to give up was one rising star.