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.
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.
nd fell into a coma while saving his younger sister from an out-of-control car. He became a vegetable. No one knew that his consciousness had crossed into a world of cultivation. Over the course of sixty years, he began as the lowest kind of mine slave, struggling to survive amid mountains of corpses and seas of blood. By sheer chance, he eventually obtained the complete memories of a fallen Immortal King. Alchemy, medicine, formations, feng shui, physiognomy, artifact forging… Every great inheritance of the cultivation world was now his. But when he opened his eyes again, he discovered that ten full years had passed in the modern world. To pay for his treatment, his father had sold the family’s shop and house, leaving himself covered in lasting injuries and illness. His mother had cared for him day and night, and more than half of her hair had already turned white. His younger sister, who had been only fifteen back then, was now twenty-five. To help repay the family’s debts, she had been forced to lower her head and put on a smiling face in places of glittering lights and endless revelry. Only then did Chen Xuan understand that what he had lost was not merely ten years. He had lost the life his entire family was meant to have. The good news was that he had brought back the memories of an Immortal King’s entire lifetime. The bad news was that his soul had returned alone—his cultivation had not come with him. Spiritual energy was scarce, resources were depleted, and the modern world still had firearms, surveillance, capital, and laws. If he wanted to protect his family, break free from everyone’s control, and become truly invincible beneath the heavens, he would have to start all over again.
rowess are unmatched, commanding a million-strong army! Yet, the Emperor wants to depose him for the sake of a false prince? Hold on, are you throwing me into some female-oriented romance plot? How can I tolerate this? With a grand wave of his hand—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! Slander the Emperor? Very well, all of you shall die! ... The False Prince: "Although I am not the biological son, Father and Mother love me more. The throne should be mine!" The Female Lead: "Qin Xiao, you are the Emperor, and I am a commoner. If you wish to marry me, you must abdicate. Otherwise, you will never have me!" The Empress: "After we divorce, you must give me half the empire!" The Transmigrator Consort: "You worthless Emperor, why should I kneel to you? All men are equal—I advise you to be kind!" The Great General: "The enemy general is my childhood sweetheart. For her sake, I willingly abandon the frontier defenses!" The Retired Emperor: "Although Yu'er was adopted, I prefer him. Qin Xiao, you should abdicate and let him become Emperor!" ... Very well! So this is how you want to play? Facing this twisted world of female-oriented tropes, Qin Xiao grins and raises his hand to unleash—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! I am the Emperor. Why would I bother reasoning with you? Seal the gates! Leave none alive!
] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"
s + Rent Collection Wealth】 At the start, he inherited a rundown house in the urban village from his grandfather. The house had no tenants, but the moment he was diagnosed with a terminal illness, a self-proclaimed empress from the Tianxuan Continent arrived as his first tenant. Ye Chuan soon discovered that with every new tenant moving in, not only did he receive massive daily payments, but he also obtained unique items related to their backgrounds. 【Acquired Bai Qianshuang’s related item: Tiger Strength Pill—dramatically enhances physical power!】 【Acquired Bai Qianshuang’s related item: Deer Blood Pill—significantly boosts vitality!】 …… From that day on, all sorts of bizarre tenants began appearing in the house: the empress from Tianxuan Continent, an apocalyptic sorceress from the Magic Realm, a mysterious scientific girl who fell through a spacetime rift… Every single day, he received strange, powerful items and endless money. Then one day, he suddenly realized—he had become invincible. Enough, enough! Stop giving me more!
