Depressive Screenwriter

In the early morning, Su Yan, dressed in a black work uniform, walked into the scriptwriting department.

As soon as he entered—

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

Accompanied by the sound of firecrackers, colorful confetti rained down from the sky.

"Congratulations!"

"Congratulations, Su Yan!"

"Congratulations on the huge success of Rurouni Kenshin!"

"Not bad, Su Yan! Why didn't you show your strength earlier? What were you doing interning for two years? If you had debuted as a lead screenwriter earlier, you would definitely be one of the genius newcomers in our screenwriting industry. Wen Yutong from Shanghai TV and Zuo Yuhan from China Central TV wouldn't be so arrogant."

"Judging from this situation, breaking 14 million total views by the end of September for Rurouni Kenshin is just around the corner!"

A group of employees in the scriptwriting department applauded sporadically, smiles on their faces as they looked at Su Yan.

Su Yan was stunned for a moment before reacting.

This was an old habit of the scriptwriting department.

Whenever someone in the department was promoted from positions such as episode screenwriter, dialogue screenwriter, or assistant screenwriter to lead screenwriter, and then successfully produced a drama that was broadcast without any problems, the available employees in the scriptwriting department would always hold some kind of celebration for that person after the drama ended.

"Congratulations, Su Yan. Rurouni Kenshin has finished airing, and if nothing unexpected happens, it will be the best-performing online drama of the quarter among the four major online broadcasting platforms."

A colleague said with a smile.

Of course, when he said "best-performing," he was referring to the online drama category.

Shanghai, China Central, and Shanghai TV combined produce more than twenty dramas each quarter that can be broadcast on television.

These works have viewership ratings of 2%, 3% for the lower ones, and 5%, 6% for the higher ones, attracting the attention of tens of millions of television viewers.

And these dramas are also launched on online broadcasting platforms during the television broadcast, but with a delay of one to two weeks.

This provides a channel for people who couldn't catch the drama on time due to weekend overtime or other reasons to catch up.

Or, some people didn't start watching the drama at first, but after a certain drama became popular, they could catch up with the television broadcast through video websites.

Then there are some people who don't like watching TV and prefer to watch dramas online through their computers.

Or some people who have watched it on TV once like to re-watch the high-definition episodes on video websites two or three times.

After these dramas that have been broadcast on television and have a huge audience are launched on online broadcasting platforms, they often start with millions of views per episode, or even higher sales levels.

These works are not compared with purely online dramas like Rurouni Kenshin and Qingfeng in terms of sales performance, as that would be unfair.

"Thank you, everyone..." Su Yan quickly thanked everyone in the scriptwriting department.

"Let's go out for a drink tonight to celebrate."

"Okay, my treat," Su Yan said with a smile.

"Su Yan, with Rurouni Kenshin's success, you should be prepared! Maybe soon producers from the production department with achievements will come to invite you to create scripts."

Su Yan paused upon hearing this, and then said.

"I will seriously consider this issue."

Returning to his workstation, Su Yan let out a long breath.

Not far from his side, Qing Tian Shan Zhi's seat was empty.

Because most of Qing Tian Shan Zhi's Qingfeng scripts were created by Shen Qi Youliang, he had been staying in the office for a long time, enjoying the praise and compliments from everyone in the scriptwriting department.

But after Rurouni Kenshin's performance suddenly rose, he stayed in the production crew all day.

Although he hadn't communicated with him, Su Yan knew what he was thinking.

He must be cursing Rurouni Kenshin in a dark corner, hoping that its performance would plummet from today onwards, and ultimately lose to Qingfeng...

"But it's not that simple?"

Su Yan opened his computer, looking at the huge promotional recommendation banner on the homepage of Sakura.com regarding the finale of Rurouni Kenshin.

The operations of Sakura.com weren't stupid.

In the previous weeks, they were observing Kenshin's performance and reputation, because even with promotional support, a four-episode short drama might not make much money.

But now that the fourth episode of Kenshin had ended, the pay-per-view rate and reputation had exploded, and the operations staff had begun to act. Promotion and recommendations were not too late to add.

It was now mid-August.

Although Rurouni Kenshin's plot had ended, for this work, it was only the beginning.

The average pay-per-view count for Rurouni Kenshin soared from 2 million, 2.5 million, to 2.7 million...

Every day he opened the website, Rurouni Kenshin's data showed rapid growth, with no signs of slowing down.

And on August 21st, Rurouni Kenshin, with an average of 2.77 million views per episode, surpassed Qingfeng's 2.73 million average pay-per-view data, completely surpassing Qingfeng in terms of reputation and average pay-per-view data.

The situation that Qing Tian Shan Zhi had expected—that Rurouni Kenshin's popularity would dissipate two weeks after the finale and that subsequent view growth would be weak—did not occur.

He stayed in the production crew, and what he cared about most every day was not the creation of the last two episodes of Qingfeng's script, but Kenshin's data.

The continued growth of Kenshin's data made him unable to sleep well.

"Why?"

After being scolded by his uncle again, Qing Tian Shan Zhi's eyes were red, filled with anger.

He looked at Shen Qi Youliang, who was sitting in the production crew's office, frowning and thinking about the last two episodes of Qingfeng's script, and his anger rose.

This trash, not even as good as a newcomer like Su Yan, making me lose face...

Why am I relying on him?

I am the most important person in the production crew. Without me, there would be no production crew...

Why should I entrust the fate of Qingfeng entirely to him?

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He grabbed Shen Qi Youliang's script and crumpled it up, throwing it into the trash can.

Shen Qi Youliang's expression turned angry, but he restrained his anger after seeing Qing Tian Shan Zhi.

Although he had pride, he also knew who Qingfeng relied on to get this drama approved.

Without Qing Tian Shan Zhi, why would the TV station's production department invest 10 million in his script?

There were plenty of talented young screenwriters in Xia who didn't have opportunities.

Shen Qi Youliang could look down on Qing Tian Shan Zhi, but he couldn't show it.

"What's there to think about?" Qing Tian Shan Zhi sneered.

"Your ideas, your plot settings, are completely outdated."

"Wh-what do you mean?" Shen Qi Youliang asked, suppressing his anger.

"Don't you understand how Rurouni Kenshin's reputation rose and its performance ultimately surpassed Qingfeng?" Qing Tian Shan Zhi said.

"?" Shen Qi Youliang's eyes widened, understanding what he was going to do.

What level are you at? You barely graduated after four years of messing around in college. After entering the TV station, you just put your name as an assistant screenwriter and episode screenwriter in various production crews to build up your resume and earn a salary.

What joint lead creator? Isn't that just a new way your uncle arranged for you to build up your resume?

We work like slaves, making your name as a genius screenwriter.

And now you want to lecture me and guide me in creating a script?

But Shen Qi Youliang still said in a gentle tone.

"Then, what do you mean, Shan Zhi?"

"Although the first three episodes of Rurouni Kenshin performed well, they were still within a reasonable range. It was after the fourth episode aired that the performance soared and completely surpassed Qingfeng," Qing Tian Shan Zhi said, slightly restraining his anger after seeing Shen Qi Youliang's smiling face.

"Actually, there's nothing amazing about the plot of the fourth episode of Rurouni Kenshin."

Shen Qi Youliang's scalp tingled.

Nothing amazing?

This episode created Yukishiro Tomoe, a female lead that people would remember for a lifetime.

It created Kenshin, a true man who endured the pain and grew up for the sake of the country and the people.

And you say it so easily?

"The reason why Rurouni Kenshin's performance took off after the fourth episode is all because of the plot's forced sentimentality and forced tragedy..." Qing Tian Shan Zhi looked at Shen Qi Youliang, saying each word clearly.

"If this can become popular, it means the audience likes to watch tragedies, likes to be depressed, likes to cry—then you write these kinds of plots."

"Now Qingfeng has only aired to the ninth episode, and the last two episodes, eleven and twelve, will only start filming next week... I've given you the general direction. Rewrite the last two episodes. You control the plot details yourself."

Shen Qi Youliang was suffocating.

Qingfeng is a campus romance comedy. How can you ask me to write a tragedy?

"But the tone of Qingfeng is a romance comedy..." Shen Qi Youliang explained.

"Are you saying that your ability doesn't support creating scripts that conform to market trends at any time?" Qing Tian Shan Zhi glanced at Shen Qi Youliang.

Shen Qi Youliang didn't speak.

"Alright, September hasn't come yet, and we haven't lost yet. I believe in your ability," Qing Tian Shan Zhi said in a deep voice.

"Rurouni Kenshin can take off in reputation and viewing data with the last episode. Qingfeng... can definitely do it too!"

No one knew what the genius newcomer screenwriter "Qing Tian Shan Zhi" was doing in the无人角落.

But now, the protagonist of the online drama market was definitely not him.

In addition to the promotional resources provided by Sakura.com in a timely manner, major film and television media also published articles praising it.

[Genius newcomer screenwriter, genius actor Su Yan's debut work amazes the summer, hundreds of thousands of people shed tears after watching it and gave it a high score of 9.6.]

[Rurouni Kenshin, watching this drama in the hot summer, but seeing endless sorrow and coolness. The creation of Yukishiro Tomoe can be called a model for female lead creation. If you are in a drama drought this summer, click on Rurouni Kenshin, it will give you a different drama-watching experience.]

[A depressing masterpiece that is not sad for the sake of being sad! If depression is graded, I would give Rurouni Kenshin full marks.]

[Who would have thought that Rurouni Kenshin, with an investment of only 1.2 million, would completely surpass Qingfeng, with an investment of 13 million, in terms of performance. The success of Rurouni Kenshin gave all film and television industry practitioners a wake-up call. Instead of endlessly adding budgets and stacking picture quality, perhaps they should realize that the soul of a drama is the script.]

[The joint lead creative writing team of Shen Qi Youliang and Qing Tian Shan Zhi is questioned! Perhaps the real genius screenwriter is Su Yan.]

[China Central TV's gold medal screenwriter Zuo Yuhan praised Rurouni Kenshin, calling it the best TV series of the quarter.]

[September 1st, Rurouni Kenshin's average pay-per-view count breaks 3.6 million... Rurouni Kenshin is going crazy.]

It was indeed going crazy.

But it wasn't just the pay-per-view count.

It also included the emotional value Su Yan gained.

During the broadcast of Rurouni Kenshin, the first three episodes only gained less than three million emotional value in total.

And only three weeks after the fourth episode aired.

The total emotional value Su Yan gained from Rurouni Kenshin had already exceeded five million.

"According to this situation, perhaps Rurouni Kenshin can ultimately provide me with more than seven million emotional value income. And the average pay-per-view count can exceed five million..."

Su Yan said in a low voice.

After all, Kenshin was only broadcast on Sakura.com. Most of the drama fans in Xia are children, the elderly, and housewives.

The proportion of these people online in this era is not large, but these people basically pay attention to the three major TV stations.

Although Kenshin's Reminiscence Arc is a masterpiece in Su Yan's heart, the subject matter of ancient warriors and the problems of broadcasting channels always restrict the upper limit of its performance.

Su Yan put his legs on his office desk and looked up at the ceiling.

On the day that Rurouni Kenshin's average pay-per-view count exceeded three million.

The scriptwriting department specially vacated an independent office for Su Yan, so that he could create with peace of mind.

To estimate now, Rurouni Kenshin can bring at least tens of millions of income to the TV station.

After all, Sakura.com is also a website controlled by the TV station, and its online broadcast revenue sharing also belongs to the TV station.

With achievements and commercial value, it was reasonable to give Su Yan an office.

"It's already September now. In theory, in a few days, I can submit a new script to the production department..."

Su Yan looked at the emotional value that was rising steadily on the upper left of the system display page, and his expression showed thought.

In theory, Su Yan's Rurouni Kenshin's performance was so good, it was the best-performing online drama in the summer season in terms of playback data and word of mouth.

As a screenwriter, Su Yan, at this time, should have many powerful producers in the station come to him.

But in reality, there was not one. Everyone in the production department was very clear that Rurouni Kenshin winning the first place in online dramas meant that Su Yan had blocked Qing Tian Shan Zhi's path and offended Akasaka Yoshitoki, the deputy director of the production department.

Now, the director of the production department, Yoshiaki Shigeo, was old, seventy-two years old, and it was rumored that he had signs of dementia.

If he really retired one day, the production department would be taken over by Akasaka Yoshitoki, who was forty-seven years old and in his prime.

Su Yan's Rurouni Kenshin did have good results...

But no one was willing to cooperate with Su Yan at this time and let Akasaka Yoshitoki "remember" himself.

Except...

Ding ding ding, ding ding ding!

Su Yan's phone rang.

He put the phone to his ear, and Ayasaki Ikumi's voice came out.

"Hello, is your new script written? Do you have any inspiration? I'll find you some assistant screenwriters... Or are you not preparing to take advantage of your Kenshin fame in the autumn season and prepare to rest in the autumn season?"

Su Yan smiled.

Besides Ayasaki Ikumi, no one would care whether Su Yan would have a new script.

She and Su Yan were in the same boat, she was not afraid.

After all, Akasaka Yoshitoki was still the "Deputy" Minister.

There was still Yoshiaki Shigeo before he could take control of the production department.

"No need, any assistant screenwriter completely affects my creative thinking..."

Su Yan paused, made up his mind, took a deep breath and said.

"Actually, I already have inspiration for a new work."

Thanks to RexlipNEW, Moonlight Burial Rock, Super Electromagnetic Fireworks Light Music for the rewards.

Thank you for the giant reward.

I hope the readers who see this will try their best to follow the updates.

Actually, I've been averaging six thousand words per day during the new book period.

Thank you all.